Uneasy Hearts Weigh The Most
by tragedyneverends
Summary: AU. Four friends, four secrets, four broken hearts. "It sucks how sometimes people fall in love with the wrong person."
1. Introduction

**Uneasy hearts weigh the most**

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_Preface_

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Dear diary,

It sucks how people sometimes fall in love with the wrong person.

For example: I love Sasuke, but he loves Hinata, but she loves Naruto, but Naruto loves me.

It really sucks, you see? We're all getting hurt. We feel guilty for making another person sad, but we're miserable because the one we want loves another person. This damn love square is killing us!

We were once best friends. I met Hinata in elementary school, and she became my best friend when Ino moved to another city. We talked about our problems; we understood each other. She always came to my house and we watched movies and made pajama parties.

That was how she met Naruto, my neighbor and best male friend who I know since we were five years old, and she fell in love with him. But she also met Sasuke, Naruto's best friend who was always at Naruto's house, and even though she just liked him as a friend, he fell in love with her.

The four of us became best friends, but we hid our feelings, because we were too shy or because we didn't want to ruin our friendship. No one knew nothing; Hinata didn't know I liked Sasuke, I didn't know she liked Naruto, and the same with the boys.

Everything was fine for years, until Sasuke confessed to Hinata two days ago. She said no, of course. She came running to me, crying, and saying how guilty she felt. And I cried with her, not because I felt sorry for her, but because Sasuke didn't like **me -** she liked** her**, my best friend.

Sasuke also told what happened to Naruto, and, seeing that Sasuke was brave enough to do something like that, Naruto decided to confess to me yesterday (they are rivals, and he always wants to be better than Sasuke). I said no, of course, and I didn't tell Hinata, because she already confessed me the other day that she likes Naruto. But she found out anyways, because Naruto always tells Hinata about his problems, and she listens to him.

Everything went wrong; everyone is hurt. And now, our friendship is nothing but hypocrisy. I pretend to be nice to Hinata, she pretends to like me, Sasuke pretends that he stands Naruto, and Naruto pretends Sasuke is still his best friend.

So much lies, so much **pretension**! Everything is a chaos…

But it was going to happen someday anyways, right? We couldn't hide our feelings for long… But maybe, just maybe, we'll be friends again someday, we'll get over it, we'll move on. Or maybe we'll fall in love with the right person, and feelings will be returned.

But right now, I just want everything to stop soon. The pain, the anger, the hate, the sadness, the loneliness, the guilt, the impotence, the uncertainty… I want it to stop.

**Love, **

Sakura.

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Notes: Thanks for reading this :D The title of the story is named after a song (Yay! Dance Gavin Dance! :3) because the lyrics inspired me to this :B Now, review if you liked it! ;)


	2. Chapter One

Notes: Thanks for reading and leaving your review! :D This chapter happened two days before the preface, so this will start from the beggining of everything. :)

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. Kishimoto does. D:

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**Uneasy hearts weigh the most**

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_Chapter one_

_(Sasuke's POV)_

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**_I don't know what to do!_**

Oh, great. I'm so fucking desperate, that I wrote it on my notebook. Someone, please tell me, is that _sane_?

I sigh and drop my pencil. With my elbows over my desk, I dig my nails into the flesh under my hair. I stare at the sentence I wrote, and try to think about how to answer to my own pleading.

**_Just tell her._**

Just tell her. Oh, thank you me, that's very – STUPID.

**_She can't know, you idiot. _**

I _know_ that writing to myself is just not right. I know it very well. But, really, _no one _can hear me. I mean, I'm not mute and they aren't deaf, but the only people that I trust are Naruto, Sakura and Hinata, ´cause they´re, like, my best friends (if that's how you call the people you stand being with). But they cannot know this. Why? Well, Naruto, because he _can't_ keep secrets (really, he just _can't_); Sakura… well, she _can_ keep secrets, but if she knows THIS secret, she might get really hurt, and, even though she's annoying, I don't want her to be sad; and Hinata… ah, _Hinata_… Actually, my problem is because of her.

I like Hinata. Yeah, I like that shy, sweet girl, with pale eyes and skin, dark blue long hair, and soft voice. She's my first crush ever, even though I'm seventeen years old (and that's COMPLETELY normal, _okay_?!). I met her when we were eleven years old; she was the best friend of Naruto's neighbor, Sakura.

If you meet Hinata for the first time, you can say she is not beautiful or charming (well, maybe she is, but she's too shy to show it) but I liked her because she was…_ different_. She isn't the typical teenage girl, who just cares about gossip, make-up, celebrities and being a slut. She's nice, quiet, sweet, adorable, sincere, honest, and her laughter is the most beautiful melody I've ever heard. And it's a shame that other guys can't see her the way I see her… Well, actually it is not a shame, 'cause I can have her for my own, but well, whatever.

Anyways. After six years of being friends, I have accepted that, yes, ladies and gentlemen: I have a HUGE crush on Hinata Hyuuga. So, yeah; the time to confess to a girl for the first time has come for me. However, there are two fucking problems. One: I'm a coward when it comes to relationships. And two: I don't even know if she feels the same.

So, that's why I'm talking to myself through a paper. Nice story, huh?

I take the pencil again, not even thinking twice, and write, responding to my last sentence:

**_Why not?_**

Hah, clever answer me. Why not, you say? Well, I'll fucking tell you (me) why not. Because-

Wait.

**_Actually... I'm not quite sure why not_**, I write back, my hand shaking slightly.

**_Then just do it!! _**

Whoa, _I_'m right. I should do it. I mean, if I continue wondering if I should do it or not, I might lose an opportunity. I have to try it at least, because if I don't do it, I'll never know what would have happened.

I stand up, a confident smirk on my face, just as the door of the classroom slides open and – oh, what a coincidence! – Hinata walks in.

You see? Arriving to school early is a good thing. The classroom is almost empty, and there's no one who would care if I talk with Hinata. So, basically, it's just she and me… and I can't help but get a little nervous.

Oh no, no. I should not get nervous. I can't. C´mon, I have spent time with her alone before, right? This time is not that different… I just have to _calm down_.

"Oh, hey, Sasuke-kun," Hinata says, smiling sweetly, when she sees me standing beside her.

Oh, how I _love_ when she calls me Sasuke-kun. Many people calls me like that (even Naruto when he tries to piss me off trying to imitate my annoying fangirls) but Hinata is different, of course. When she says it, I feel that I'm, like, more _special_. Corny, huh?

"Hey," I say softly. "Um, Hinata, listen…"

"Hm?" She looks at me again, still smiling, and I can see my reflection in her eyes. My expression reminds me of when Lee (a.k.a. Bushy Eyebrows) confessed to Sakura in fourth grade: my cheeks are pink and my forehead is sweaty.

"Well…" I clear my throat and scratch my neck. Is it my imagination, or the temperature is getting high? "I wanted to talk to you… about something very, _very_ personal and secret."

She looks worried now. "Oh God, Sasuke-kun, is everything okay?"

Ah, she called me like_ that _again… "Uhh… yeah. Yes, Hinata, everything's fine. It's just that… I have a… confession… to make."

"A confession?" She moves her head to a side, confused. "You mean, like, a _love_ confession?"

"Yes," I gasp instantly, and my face is now completely red.

"You like someone, Sasuke-kun?"

I nod.

"Oh." She blinks. "And… who is that?"

I froze. Oh shit, it's time.

"The person I like, Hinata…" I start. "It's… it's…"

I sigh. Damn, I just have to do it! There's no reason to get so nervous, right? Maybe if I stare at my feet instead of staring at her...

"It's… it's_ you_, Hinata."

I SAID IT!

"I like you."

I SAID IT AGAIN!

"I have a huge crush on you since we were kids."

AND _AGAIN_!

"And I-"

I look up at her. And I close my mouth when I see she's crying.

"Hinata?" I ask, worried, surprised and confused.

"I-I'm sorry, Sa-Sasuke-kun," she sobs. "I… I don't… I don't feel the same for you."

Oh. So… that's how it is, huh?

"I'm… I'm sorry," she whispers, and she leans forward to kiss my left cheek.

I watch as she turns around and runs out of the classroom, still crying. I don't feel sad – yet – but I do feel guilty because… I made her _cry_.

Just when I can't hear her sobs anymore, I realize my hand is touching where she just kissed me.

My first kiss… from the first one I loved… even though it was just on the cheek.

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_To feel her touch... It's almost impossible to hold still._

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Notes: I know it's short; sorry. :) Remember to review! C:


	3. Chapter Two

Notes: Two chapters in one day!!?? D: Well, that's a new record. :D

Disclaimer: Do you really want me to say it again? :)

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**Uneasy hearts weigh the most**

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_Chapter Two_

_(Sakura´s POV)_

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Oh, it is such a beautiful day! The sky is blue, the birds are singing, it smells like nature…

Oh shit, I sounded like my mother. Who the hell cares about how beautiful the day is, huh? Not me! Heh, heh… Right.

"SAKURA!"

Whoa, I know that voice. It's Hinata, isn't it? Ah, no, it can't be. That person _screamed_. Hinata doesn't fucking _scream_, not even when she's scared. She just passes out. And I'm her best friend; I know her very well. But, still… it did sound a lot like-

"AHHH!" I scream when two arms wrap around my waist as I turn in a corner.

Really, what's wrong with the world? I just want to continue living my happy, normal little life, to go to school and learn something, to be a good girl who makes her parents be proud of her. But - OH, OF COURSE NOT! Some psychopath _has _to hug me until I can't breathe anymore and sob in my chest like a stupid crying baby, right!? Jesus…

I look down to the crying person, prepared to tell him or her to get the fuck off me, but I see a head with dark blue hairs and instantly recognize it.

"Hi-Hinata?" I ask, stunned. I never believed she could scream like that.

"Sa-Sakura-chan…" she sobs, looking up at me.

I instantly feel like saying: "Aww, poor baby!!" and hug her tightly until she calms down. Hinata just has that effect on people when she cries. But I just bite my lip, and ask: "What happened?"

"Sa-Sasuke-kun…" she murmurs, and starts sobbing again.

Sasuke-kun? She meant, hot Sasuke Uchiha-kun who is my best friend and _also_ my secret crush? Whoa. Did they… have a fight or something? Agh, no, _of course not_! Both of them are too peaceful for that. Besides, why would Sasuke want to fight with poor, shy, and sweet Hinata-chan? Exactly: completely _impossible_.

"What happened?" I repeat as I push her away gently.

She looks up at me. "He…" She hesitates for a moment. "Sasuke-kun… he told me he likes me."

…_What?_

"He told me-" Sob. "-that he has a crush on me since we were kids."

…_Huh_?

"But-" Sob. "-I told him that I don't feel the same way, and I- I _hurt him_, Sakura-chan!" Another sob. "He's my _friend_… and I _hurt him_."

Hinata covers her face with her hands and I stay frozen for a second, until I remember I'm supposed to console her, because that's what best friends do... right?

She cries on my shoulder and I rub her back. I try to make her feel better, whispering things like "He's gonna be fine" and "It's okay; you did the right thing", even though I'm crying too (now that she can't see) and I feel like I also need someone to console me.

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We're in the bathroom. Hinata is blowing her nose inside a cubicle. I'm standing in front of the mirror, staring at my reflection.

What does he like about Hinata? Does he think she's pretty? But… am I not pretty? I've been told that I am… Or maybe he thinks she's just prettier?

Ah, I know. Sasuke likes her because of her tiny forehead and big breasts, some things I don't have. But… actually, I know Sasuke, and I know that he's not shallow. He's not that type of guy.

Oh, I know! He likes quiet, shy, sweet, innocent girls, right? He likes girls who are… completely the opposite from me, a loud, extrovert and cheerful pink-haired girl. So… he would never like me.

Okay, well, that _sucks._

Hinata comes out of the cubicle and I turn around. I see that she's calmed now, and she doesn't look like she has been crying. I force myself to smile at her, because I have to be nice – she needs me. I have to forget about my own sadness, just for my best friend.

"How are you feeling, Hinata-chan?"

"Better." She rubs her eyes and smiles at me. "Thanks, Sakura. For being with me when I needed you."

"It's okay." I walk towards her and hug her. "That's what friends do, right?"

Hinata nods against my shoulder. "Hey, Sakura?" she asks.

"Hm?"

"I have something to confess," she says, moving away from me to look me in the eye.

"What is it?" I ask, curious.

Hinata takes a deep breath. "Well, the truth is that I said no to Sasuke-kun because I…" She gulped. "I like Naruto-kun."

…Holy _shit_.

My eyes widen. "R-Really?"

She nods. "Since the first time I saw him."

Oh my _God_. It's just the same thing happening to Sasuke and to me, then. The three of us suffered love at first sight, and our feelings are not returned!

"Wow," I sigh, leaning against the sinks. "That was just… unexpected."

"Really?" Hinata smiles. "Didn't you notice that I always blush when he's around?"

"Hinata, you blush all the time, everywhere, and with anyone." She blushes at this. Ha-ha.

Suddenly, the bell rings. The classes are going to start.

"Oh God, Sakura, let's go!" Hinata hisses, grabbing my wrist and pulling me out of the girl's bathroom with her.

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As Asuma-sensei explains some shit about algebra, I'm too focused staring at Sasuke-kun's back with a dreamily expression.

I still can't believe he likes Hinata. He never gave any sings of that... But, ah, well, he's a master at hiding feelings, anyways. That's something I admire of him.

He writes something on his notebook and I raise an eyebrow. Sasuke can't possibly be taking notes, right? That's completely impossible. One: because he's a genius who doesn't need to do that. And two: because I've watched him for years during all of our classes together, and he has never done that.

But, if he's not taking notes, then what is he-?

The bell rings. Asuma-sensei dismisses the class and I sigh with relief. Finally! It thought it was never going to end.

As I pack my stuff in my backpack, I see that Sasuke is not standing up or packing his stuff. He's still sitting on his chair, staring at something he wrote on his notebook, like a statue. I get worried, so I walk towards him slowly and silently.

I read over his shoulder what he wrote:

_**She doesn't feel the same. I made her cry. And now it's all ruined.**_

Ah… poor guy. A broken heart sucks. I know it, because I have one.

As I walk past him, trying not to disturb him when he's feeling depressed, I wonder if our hearts are going to heal someday, if everything will be fine again. I really don't hope he would fall in love with me; I just hope that he can be happy. That's all I want.

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_Maybe we can go back to the way it was… Well at least let me love you the same._

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Notes: The last sentences of the chapters are the lyrics of the song that inspired me to write this story. It's named just like the story (uneasy hearts weigh the most); check it out! ;D Ayways, review &tell me your opinion! n_n


	4. Chapter Three

Notes: Hi! :D Whoa, I'm updating a lot. :L Guess I'm just very inspired :B

Disclaimer: I. Don't. Own. Characters. Okay?

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**Uneasy hearts weigh the most**

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_Chapter Three_

_(Naruto's POV)_

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Ah, there he is. Finally, after looking for him during fifteen _long_ minutes, I've found Sasuke Uchiha, a.k.a. my best friend who is also a jerk. Hallelujah.

The bastard is in front of his locker, staring at it as if it was telling him something very interesting. He's, like, not moving at all, and I frown because that's very weird, even for him.

Slowly, I walk towards him. "Sasuke?" I call. He doesn't move. "Um… Is everything alright?" I try again, but I get the same reaction: nothing.

I move closer to try to see his face and-

Oh. I recognize that expression. He's... _sad_. Which is something _very_ unusual. This had happened just once, ten years ago, when his parents died. That was the only time I've seen him cry. Fortunately, there are no tears on his eyes right now. But it seems like they are about to appear.

…Shit. Something's wrong.

"Sasuke?" I put a hand on his shoulder. "Dude, answer me!"

He turns his head to me. Our eyes meet, but I feel that he's not looking at me. His eyes are too… dull? Empty? Unhappy?

"Leave me alone, Naruto," he whispers, and I barely hear him.

"No." I glare at him and cross my arms over my chest. "I won't leave your side. Not until you tell me what happened."

The corner of his mouth moves upwards. "You never give up, do you?"

I grin. "You know me very well."

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HOLY CRAP.

He… He _can't_ be serious, right? I mean… hah, it's _impossible_! How could he be in love with _her_? _Her_! I mean, I can expect him to be in love with Sakura-chan (even though I'd fucking kill him for that) because she's his only female friend. But, well, actually _she_ is also a girl and his friend… But, _no_! Sakura-chan knows him better than _her_. _She_ barely talks to him, for God's sake!

Yeah, this is definitely a joke. The bastard is trying to make fun of me. What day is today? April frist? No, no, we're in March… Maybe he decided to do it earlier?

"Naruto, close your mouth. You look even more stupid."

I turn to him and glare. "Well, I'm sorry, okay?!" I yell. "But I'm just too…_shocked_."

He sighs tiredly. "Get over it, Naruto. It's surprising, I know, but-"

"No!" I interrupt him. "It's not that I'm shock because you like-!"

He puts his hand over my mouth violently. "Don't be so fucking loud," he hisses.

He removes his hand and I whisper: "Because you like Hinata."

He raises an eyebrow. "Then why are you shocked?"

I smirk. "Because you actually expect me to believe it." He widens his eyes, but I continue: "You know, Sasuke, I may be a little clumsy sometimes, but that's no reason for you to believe that I have nothing inside my skull. Besides, I'm a seventeen-years-old young man, not a child who believes everything people tells." I put a hand on his shoulder. "Really, Sasuke. Early April first's pranks are too childish. Grow up already."

I try to turn around and leave but a hand grabs the collar of my shirt tightly. I look into Sasuke's glaring eyes with surprise. "You fucking stupid," he hisses. "It wasn't a joke."

…_Huh_?

"I _do_ like Hinata," Sasuke continues, and I see his cheeks turning pink, just like Sakura-chan's hair.

Wait. Is he...?

HOLY MOTHER OF GOD, SASUKE IS _BLUSHING_!

"WHAAAT?!"

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The sky above us is blue… _obviously._ But I think that today it looks even bluer. It's really pretty.

"You know what?" I ask Sasuke, who's sitting beside me on the bench. From the corner of my eye, I see that he turns his head to me, showing he's listening. "I think I may follow your steps."

"What steps?" he asks confused.

I inhale deeply. The air is so fresh and pure. "Well, you know, those of confessing to the girl you love."

Sasuke doesn't respond. I turn my head to him and see that he has that expression that says "_Are you fucking retarded, Naruto?_"

"What?" I laugh. "I'm serious, Sasuke! I'll do it! And, because I'm greater than you, she will return my feelings."

"Okay…" he nods slowly, "So… you're going to confess to Sakura?"

"Uh-huh." I stretch my arms lazily. "And she's gonna be my girlfriend."

Sasuke chuckles. "Are you doing this just to make me look like a complete loser, Naruto?"

"That's just one of the two purposes," I confess, grinning. "The second one is because it's time. I mean, I´ve been in love with her since she became my neighbor _years_ ago. It's time for her to know. Besides," I look up to the sky, "if I die tomorrow, I don't want to regret not telling her."

Sasuke stares at me with an unreadable expression for a moment. Suddenly, the bell rings, announcing the lunch time is over, and we stand up to go to our next class.

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Ah, _finally:_ school is over. I don't know what I'm gonna do when I get home. Maybe eat some ramen, watch TV, play on the X-Box… oh, and maybe-

Oh crap, here she comes.

"Hey, Naruto," she greets, smiling at me with that beautiful, cheerful smile of hers.

"Hi, Sakura-chan," I say, and I feel the back of my neck burning. "Um, uh… can I walk you home?"

Sakura laughs and raises an eyebrow. "Naruto, we _always_ walk home together. We're _neighbors_."

Oh.

"Ah! Heheheh…" Damn, I'm starting to sweat. "Yeah, that's right…"

Sakura eyes me suspiciously. "Hey, are you alright?" she asks.

"Eh? Ah, yeah, I'm fine." I stuff my hands inside of my pockets. "Um, anyways, let's get going, okay?"

"Okay." Sakura nods and smiles again. She turns around for a moment and waves goodbye to Hinata. "By-Bye, Hinata-chan!" she yells, and then we walk away.

Our houses are not far from school, so I just have seven minutes to talk with her. I have to choose the right words, the right moment…

Alright, I have to think. I can start saying like "Oh, I heard Sasuke confessed to Hinata, huh?" and then "Love confessions are (insert random adjective here), huh?" and then suddenly "Speaking of love confessions, I love you, Sakura-chan".

...Okay maybe not.

I am so deep in thought, that my eyes widen when I glance at my watch and realize it's been five minutes since we left the school. I just have two freaking minutes to do it!

Damn. I don't know how to start, so I'll just go straight to the point, okay? Okay. Ready... set...

GO!

"Um, Sakura?" I ask sheepishly.

"Yes, Naruto?" she says, and I suddenly decide that two minutes to do this aren't enough.

I take a deep breath and stop walking. Sakura stops walking too, and looks at me confused.

"I have something to tell you," I start.

Ah. By the way she stares at me, I can guess she already knows what I have to tell her; she's very clever. But I _have_ to say this. I just _have_ to.

"I… I like you."

She looks shocked for a moment, and then sad, _very_ sad.

"Naruto…" she whispers.

I know what she's going to say now; I don't need to be clever like her for that. I see it on her eyes; I hear it on her voice…

She doesn't feel the same.

"Wait," I interrupt her when she's about to say something. "Don't say it."

Her eyes widen. "Huh…?"

I force myself to smile. "It's alright; I know how you feel, Sakura-chan. You… you like Sasuke."

It hurts me to say it, even though I already knew it very well, but it seems like it hurts her even more.

I take a step closer to her and kiss her cheek. "It's okay. Really," I whisper.

I start walking away. She is still standing there, completely frozen. I glance behind me and see her staring at me. I don't know what to say; "See you later", maybe? And I don't know what to do; wave goodbye, perhaps?

But... I just smile at her, trying to look as happy as I can, and hope that that can make her ignore the inevitable sadness reflected in my eyes.

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_I got lies to tell your children, when my smile pierces through your bones - right through your bones._

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Notes: Next chapter coming soon. :) Please review!:D


	5. Chapter Four

**Uneasy hearts weigh the most**

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_Chapter Four_

_(Hinata's POV)_

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Whoa. The gardeners take really good care of the grass inside our huge front yard. It's very green and clean… It reminds me of Sakura-chan's eyes.

Ah, Sakura-chan. She's really a good friend. I've always admired her. Like, when we were in elementary school and I didn't to talk her 'cause I was too shy, I used to watch her and Ino playing, talking and laughing with everyone, and I wished I could be like them someday.

Some people used to say that Sakura and Ino were two shallow and stupid little girls. They said I shouldn't want to hang out with them because they were a bad influence. But I didn't care; I didn't care if they were shallow, or stupid, or cruel… I just wanted to be close to them because they were happy and everyone liked them. I wanted to be happy and liked too.

I wasn't brave enough to talk to them, until Ino moved to another city. I was still admiring Sakura, and one day, she randomly asked me something about Biology and we suddenly became friends.

Now we´re best friends and I admire her even more after what happened with Sasuke-kun. I know she likes him (everyone knows it; you just can say it by the way she looks at him), and even though she was supposed to feel sad and angry when she found out he likes me, she was nice to me and consoled me.

She's always there for me… and I will always be there for her.

"Hinata-sama," someone says from the door of the living room. I turn my head and see the maid standing there, holding the phone in her hand. "A friend of yours is at the phone. He says he needs to talk to you urgently."

_He_? Oh… Is it Sasuke-kun, maybe? Oh, God, no. No, please. I can't speak to him. I _can't_!

"Um… can you ask him his name?" I tell to the maid.

The woman nods and puts the phone against her ear. "Excuse me, what's your name?" she asks. A couple of seconds later, she moves the phone away from her face and whispers: "He says his name is Naruto Uzumaki."

Ah, Naruto-kun… What a relief.

"It's okay, let me talk to him," I say to the maid, standing up from the couch and grabbing the phone.

"Okay," the maid says. She turns around and exits the room.

I feel my heart beating faster as I put the phone against my ear. "He-Hello?" I call, and then curse myself for stuttering.

"_Hinata-chan_!" Naruto-kun says, and I frown a little when I realize he sounds, like, relieved.

"Is everything okay?" I ask, sitting on the couch again.

"_Well, no. I mean_, yes_! I mean…_" He sighs tiredly. "_I need to talk with someone_."

"You know I'm always here for you, Naruto-kun," I tell him, smiling to myself.

I am used to this. Every time Naruto has a problem, he calls me and tells me about it. Sometimes I advise him, sometimes I just console him. But he knows that I'll always listen to him. And it doesn't annoy me; actually, I feel happy, because the boy I love trusts me a lot. I feel, like, special.

"_Thank you, Hinata-chan_," Naruto says, and I can hear he's smiling.

"It's fine." I lean back comfortably in the couch. "Anyways, tell me what happened."

"_Well… Ah, okay. It all started when Sasuke told me he… well, you know, did _that_ to you_."

My eyes widen. I really don't like to talk about it. "Um… okay."

"_Seeing that he was brave enough to do _that_, I wanted to be better than him. So I decided to confess my love to the girl I like too._"

Wait. He _what_…?

"You… you like so-someone, Naruto-kun?"

"_Yeah_," he replies. "_And I confessed to her, expecting that she would return my feelings. I wanted to make Sasuke feel like a complete loser, but… Things went wrong. She… she doesn't feel the same, Hinata."_

I am still shocked about hearing he likes someone, but I am listening, and I couldn't help but think that it is funny, because he likes someone who doesn't like him, and he's also liked by someone he doesn't like… just like me.

"I… I really don't know what to say," I tell him after a pause, "because I'm exactly in the same situation. So…I'm sorry."

"_Naah, it's okay, Hinata-chan_," he says. "_I just wanted someone to listen to me; I wanted to let it out. I didn't expect you to give me a solution to this. And it's nice that we can understand each other now. But, hey, who is the guy you like but doesn't like you back, huh? He must be an idiot, Hinata-chan, because you're very nice and sweet!"_

Well, seems like he really is an idiot.

"It doesn't matter," I say, blushing, and feeling grateful that Naruto-kun can't see my red face. "But, hey, who's the girl you confessed to, huh? I mean, I know it's none of my business but…"

Naruto chuckles. _"Don't say those things, Hinata-chan! Of course you can know! I trust you."_

He said the three last words in a different tone. It was like… sweet.

"Oh, okay. Then..." I gulp, wondering if I really want to know it, but before taking a decision, I say: "Who is she?"

Naruto sighed sadly. "_It's… it's Sakura."_

…Huh?

"Wh-who?" I asked. Maybe I didn't hear right…

"_Sakura-chan,_" Naruto says, and those words feel like thousands of needles pinching my heart. "_I like her since I first met her, when she became my neighbor. It had been a secret... until now._"

Oh my God. No, no… this _can't_ be truth. Why is this happening? Why doesn't he like _me_? Why does he like another girl? And why, why in the hell, does it have to be _her_, my best friend?

AH, CRAP, this is so weird. It looks like this is, like, _planned_ by someone or something that wants Naruto-kun, Sasuke-kun, Sakura-chan and me to fall in love, but no with the right person. This love square is like a movie…. It's surreal.

Oh, I'm supposed to hate Sakura-chan now, right? To be jealous and stop being her friend or something, but… I can't. She's in the same situation with Sasuke-kun, but she's still nice to me. I have to do the same. I have to keep my promise, to return the favor: I will always be there for her.

"_Hinata-chan?"_ Naruto asks, taking me out of my thoughts. "_Are you there?"_

"Uh? Ah, ye-yeah, N-Naruto. I'm- I'm here," I answer nervously.

"_You sound weird…"_ he realizes, and I curse myself for stuttering, _again_. "_Is everything okay?"_

"Yeah, everything's fine," I say, doing my best to sound relaxed and trying to think about something nice to calm me down. "I mean, I'm still alive and healthy."

He laughed. "_Hinata-chan, you're so funny!_"

"Hehe… yeah, I guess so." I sigh tiredly. "Hey, um… I have to go, okay? See you tomorrow."

"_Okay, see you tomo-"_

I hung up before he finishes his sentence, because the lump in my throat is killing me. I sob and my shoulders start to shake, but there are no tears in my eyes. I want to calm down, I don't want to be so fragile and sentimental and _weak_. I have to be strong, I want to be strong, just like Sakura-chan, and maybe Naruto-kun will like me too…

I raise my hand and touch my cheek. It's wet. I'm already crying. And I feel so pathetic.

I turn my head to the window and stare at the green grass outside… And I can't help but think that maybe I'm just like it: looking so calmed, so perfect and alive, but fragile, and easy to tear up.

* * *

_The grass is green inside my yard. I can make you laugh so fucking hard it hurts you… inside your bones._

* * *

Notes: &don't forget to review. :)


	6. Chapter Five

**Uneasy hearts weigh the most**

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_Chapter Five_

_(Naruto's Pov)_

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* * *

She is staring at me; I can feel it. Her eyes are like daggers piercing the back of my head. But I don't blame her for doing it. I mean, if I was on her place, I would do the same.

Now I hear footsteps. So she stood up and now she's walking to me, huh? She stops right behind me, and I pretend I don't know she's there.

"Naruto," she calls.

I turn my head and raise my eyebrows with "surprise" when I see her. "Oh… Sakura-chan."

She forces a smile. "How – how are you?"

"Uh… I'm fine," I reply, a little surprised. She _stuttered_, which is something very weird coming from a girl like her. That means she's _really _nervous! Heh, poor Sakura-chan.

"Ah. Great." She stares at me for a moment. I stare right back, emotionless. Suddenly, she sighs, giving up. "Can I talk to you for a moment?"

"Sure," I nod, smiling brightly. "I'm right here."

"I mean in private."

I look around. We're in the classroom, but it's lunch time, so we're practically alone except from a group of girls chatting in a corner and Shikamaru sleeping at the back of the classroom. I turn to her. "We _are _in private, Sakura-chan."

"Okay," she sighs, sitting down in the desk beside mine. "Um, listen, Naruto… We have been friends since we were little kids. You're a very important person to me; my life would be incomplete without you. I really care for you, and I love you." I raise an eyebrow at that. "But just as a friend," she continues, "So you can imagine how I felt when you told me… you know, what you told me yesterday."

I don't say anything for a moment, just thinking. She looks very anxious waiting for my response. I laugh in the inside; it's really funny to see her, the woman who has control over everything she does, like that.

"Yeah, I understand," I say finally. "It's like incest."

She makes a face that says "_What the fuck does _that_ mean, you brainless blond?!_"

I chuckle. "I mean that you see me like a brother," I explain. "And when a brother tells you he likes you like more than a sister, you freak out, of course."

"Oh," she says, understanding my metaphor. "Um, well, yeah. I wouldn't describe it better."

I smile at her sincerely. "Sakura-chan… You don't have to be so nervous about this. I mean, I like you, yeah, but we're still best friends, no matter what. And we trust each other, remember?"

"Yeah…"

"So, c'mon," I pat her shoulder. "Chill out! Everything's fine. And I mean it."

"Naruto..." She looks down sadly. "You _always_ say everything's fine, even if it's not." She shakes her head. "I don't know if I can believe in you anymore."

Oh... she's right. And it hurts me to realize that I underestimated her and that she does know that I can do anything, even lie, just to see my friends happy.

"Sakura," I call her, and she looks up sheepishly. "I mean it this time. I promise it."

My eyes must look very sincere because she beams. "Thanks, Naruto," she says, standing up and wrapping her arms around my neck.

I bury my face in the crock of her neck, smelling the scent of her cherry shampoo, and murmur: "No. Thank _you_, Sakura-chan."

* * *

It's Saturday. Oh, _thank God _it's Saturday. No more waking up early, no more listening to the teachers' boring lessons, no more dealing with homework… Ah, I really love weekends.

It's middle day. I woke up at nine and spent the whole morning watching cartoons. But it's time to do something else: I'm bored. And what's better than going to annoy your neighbor/best friend/crush? Yeah: nothing.

I knock the door of the Haruno family. Ten seconds later, Mrs. Haruno opens it. "Oh, hi, Naruto!" she greets, smiling warmly.

"Good morning, Mrs. Haruno. Is Sakura home?"

"Yeah… she's still sleeping, I think." She motions me to come in. "Wake her up for me, would you?"

I smile, stepping in. "Okay, I'll do it."

Mrs. Haruno smiles and walks away, leaving me alone in front of the door. I glance at the stairs, and remember the time when Sakura-chan and I were playing and she fell from the stairs and broke her front tooth. She didn't cry; she just laughed when she saw how funny she looked.

I'm very used to come to her house. We play together since we were five years old; I'm almost like part of the family. It's not that weird that she thinks of me as her brother.

Her bedroom is at the end of the hallway. The door is pink, just like her hair. I open it as quietly as I can and my eyes wander around the familiar room. The red curtains of the window are down, so it's completely dark. The furniture is white, the carpet is purple and the walls are painted pink. There's a lot of pink actually; it's like if she's saying "I love the weird color of my hair with passion, so don't make fun of it." It really looks like a girl's room.

I close the door behind me silently when I spot Sakura's sleeping form under the blue covers of the bed. I walk towards her slowly, my feet not making any sound because of the soft carpet. I put my hand softly over her shoulder, lean down, and then…

"SAKURA-CHAN!! WAKE UP!! IT'S MORNING!"

She jumps up instantly, looking around with panic. She then sees me, laughing like mad at her expression, and glares.

"Naruto," she hisses. "I'm gonna FUCKING KILL YOU!"

Oh-oh.

* * *

"I don't understand it. You hit me, hurt me, made me beg for my life, and now you're healing my wounds and apologizing."

"Well, men can't understand women at all."

We are in the bathroom. I'm sitting on the sink as Sakura puts some ice on my bruised face. She punched me just five minutes ago because I woke her up. Shouldn't she be grateful? I made her a favor! Ah, Shikamaru is right: girls are really troublesome.

"It's not women in general who I don't understand," I say. "It's just you, the most violent person I've ever met."

"Well, I did overreact this time," she confessed, rolling her eyes. "But that's because you scared me. I was having a terrible nightmare."

"Really?" I frown. "What was it about?" She looks away. "Sakura… tell me." She says nothing. "C'mon... we're friends, remember? You can trust me."

She stares at me for a moment, and then sighs sadly. "It was about… Sasuke-kun. I dreamed… I dreamed that he… killed himself."

The last two words were a whisper, but I could hear them well. My eyes widen. "Why?"

"Well, he left a note saying it was practically because of Hinata." Saying these seem to hurt her a lot. She shakes her head and tries to smile. "But it was just a dream. It's not real."

"Yeah…" I smile weakly. "It's not real."

"Okay, you're fine now," Sakura says suddenly, putting the cream she used to heal my scratches back into the drawer. "Now get out. I need a shower."

"Fine," I groan, standing up and exiting the room.

I go downstairs and find Sasori, Sakura's older brother, watching TV on the couch in the living room. I sit down next to him.

"Hey," I greet him. "What are you doing?"

"Watching TV," he replies, not taking his eyes off the screen. "Isn't it obvious?"

I roll my eyes. Really, even though they're siblings, he and Sakura have nothing in common. She's cheerful, optimistic, sentimental, and talks a lot (maybe too much); he's quiet, rude, arrogant, and his face is always emotionless. He's like a robot.

"Why aren't you with that gang of yours?" I ask. "What's its name? Amasuki, Katesuki, Akamuki…?"

"Akatsuki," Sasori says. "And I'm not with them because I don't want to."

I frown. "But then what will you do for fun? Are you going to watch TV all day? It's Saturday, dude. Breathe some fresh air!"

Unexpectedly, he turns his head and looks at me, which means he's now interested on the conversation. After a pause, he nods and says: "You know what, Maruko?"

"It's _Naruto_." When is he finally going to remember my name? He knows me since I was five years old, for God's sake!

"I think you're right," he continues, ignoring me. "I should do something else today."

He takes his cell phone out of his pocket and stares at the small screen pursing his lips. "What is it?" I ask curious.

"I want to call someone but my cell phone isn't working." He turns to me. "Would you lend me yours, Saruto?"

"It's _Naruto_!" I groan with frustration. "And…" I dig into my pocket, searching for my own cell phone, but it's not there. "I think I left it on the bathroom when Sakura was healing my wounds."

"She punched you again, huh?" Sasori asks smirking.

I roll my eyes. "I'll go for it. Don't go anywhere."

I go back upstairs and knock the bathroom's door.

"Hey, Sakura-chan," I call her. "I think I left my cell phone there." No response. "Sakura-chan?"

I open the door. There's white steam all over the small room and I can hear that the shower is on. I walk closer to the shower and I see through the transparent curtain the blur form of Sakura's naked body...

Wait.

HOLY _SHIT_!

I blush madly and try not to make a sound as I see my cell phone over the sink. I take it and turn around, exiting the room and closing the door soundlessly behind me. When I'm outside, I sigh with relief, glad that Sakura didn't realize I was there.

_I saw Sakura __naked_, was all in my mind, even though I didn't_ exactly _see her; it was just her blur form. But still…

_Wow_. Just – _wow_.

* * *

_When she talks, I listen. She's on the shower and her skin glistens. Like: "Oh my god, I like it!" Like: "Oh god, I like it."_

* * *

Notes: Hey, guys! I'm glad you like my story. :) I really appreciate your opinions, so please, _please_ leave your review, okay? ;D


	7. Chapter Six

____________

**Uneasy Hearts Weigh The Most**

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_Chapter Six_

_(Sakura's POV)_

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* * *

It's Hinata's birthday party, at her house – I mean, _mansion_ – and I don't know what the fuck I'm doing here.

Really, why did I come?! Well, okay, I know why I came: because parties at the Hyuuga mansion are epic and you just can't miss them. But - hey! I didn´t expect it would turn out like _this!_

I'm standing alone in a corner like a complete loser, glancing around me, trying to find some familiar face, and wishing Naruto would be here to cheer me up (but that's impossible, because I don't believe Hinata would want to invite him). But seems like Hinata has a lot of friends that I don't know (maybe they are from the extracurricular activities her father forces her to have since she was five years old) and she decided to only invite them tonight.

I'm sure she did this just to piss me off. She invited me because she knew I would be standing here and now like this, completely alone, feeling like I'm in a whole different country, not because she felt "weird not inviting me", as she said. I bet she's watching me from a hidden place right now, with all her rich and stupid friends from her extracurricular activities, laughing and pointing at me, saying: "Oh my god, she's _so_ lame!"

…That bitch.

Yeah, I know saying this is, like, completely out of character coming from me. Hinata is (was?) my best friend; I'm supposed to love her. But since Sasuke confessed to her and Naruto confessed to me, things between us have been awkward. We don't even speak to each other anymore; that's how horrible everything is. I hang out with Temari, an older girl, and her friends, and Hinata spends her time with TenTen, her cousin's girlfriend. I think we´re not supposed to call each other "best friends" anymore, even though we haven't exactly declared it. We just stopped hanging out; that's all.

The same thing happens between Sasuke and me. We talked (well, I talked to him and made him talk to me) a lot before. He even said once that he liked being around me 'cause I made him smile (the day he told me that, is the best day of my life so far). But he confessed to Hinata, and even though he still doesn't exactly know that I love him (I'm sure he suspects – who doesn't? – but it's not official), I stopped speaking to him out of nowhere (because I can't even look at him without wanting to cry), and he hasn't complained about it. It seems like he gives a crap about me. Ugh.

Naruto and I are the only ones from the four of us that still hang out. Hinata feels the same thing towards Naruto that I feel towards Sasuke, and Naruto and Sasuke have the same thing Hinata and I have right now. I'm very surprised, though, because Naruto doesn't seem hurt or angry or weird like Sasuke, who has been avoiding Hinata as if she was a freak, even though I rejected him too. But I know deep inside of me that he's just faking, that he just smiles to make me feel good because he knows I'm depressed enough about losing two of my best friends, because that's just how he is. He's the best guy ever. And I hate myself for not loving him back and for being selfish enough to do nothing.

Anyways, enough of my emo mental rants. I have to do something (it's a party, for God's sake!) so Hinata and her rich and stupid friends from her extracurricular activities would stop making fun of me. Besides, I'm Sakura Haruno – _the_ Sakura Haruno – and I can make friends anywhere on just five seconds, right? There are a lot of new people here. This can be a very fun experience.

* * *

Take that Hinata and her rich and stupid friends from her extracurricular activities! I'm dancing with a very hot guy I met five minutes ago, and we, are, flirting. I'm getting a new boyfriend, having fun, and getting over that stupid Sasuke-kun at the same time tonight! My life is going to change soon; I can feel it…

…And I also can feel the effects of that alcoholic drink this guy (what the hell is his name again?!) gave me. I'm starting to have a headache, and my sight is kind of blur, and I also feel very, very tired.

Oh _great_: he drugged me.

"Are you okay?" the guy asks, looking worried. (What a hypocrite.)

"Uh… no," I reply, rubbing my temples. "I just discovered that that drink you gave me had drugs on it."

His eyes widen. "What are you talking about?"

"You put drugs on my drink," I repeat, kind of annoyed. I already discovered him, and he has the nerve of acting innocent? Psh. "I'm not stupid, allright? I realized it."

"No, I didn't!" He looks sincerely offended.

I sigh. "Look… whateveryournameis… stop lying, okay? I already discovered you; there's no excuse you can give me to…"

"My name is Sai," he interrupts me, glaring. "And I'm telling you: I did not put drugs on your drink."

I blink and say before thinking that he may be lying again: "Then why am I feeling like this?"

He smirks. "Maybe you're just tired, honey. We have been dancing for an hour and we haven't stopped to rest."

I frown. "An hour, you say?" He nods and I snicker. "That's impossible. I met you, like, five minutes ago!"

"No, you didn't." He glances at his watch. "It's eleven forty five. I met you at nine thirty or something." He smiles at my shocked expression. "Time flies when you're having fun."

Oh… so that's it. I am just… tired. Uh... Well, what a funny misunderstood...

Heh. Oops?

Before he can respond to my apologetic smile, I take his hand and pull him away, saying: "C'mon, it's time to rest, Sai-kun!"

* * *

I'm at the drinks table with Sai (yay! I remembered his name!). I stare at him when he's not looking, and I realize he's very similar to Sasuke-kun: pale skin, dark eyes, dark hair, handsome features… But then I shake my head. Forget about him, yells my inner me.

Suddenly, even though the music is very loud, I hear a voice that I can recognize everywhere: Sasuke. Well, speaking of the devil… I freeze, and try to hear what he's saying.

"Thank you… I guess." That's another voice I recognize. It's Hinata. I realize she's talking with him, and I feel that ugly feeling of mixed feelings that people define as jealousy. I try to ignore it, and focus on the conversation. She said "thank you"… maybe he wished her a happy birthday or something?

"But… why are you here, Sasuke?" she asks. I glance discreetly over my shoulder and realize they're just behind me, at the other side of the drinks table. I hope that they won't realize I'm here…

"I'm just here to wish you a happy birthday, as I just did." Oh, so he did wish her a happy birthday, huh? "And, don't worry; I'm not angry that you didn't invite me. And I also apologize for coming without invitation."

"It's okay… And I'm sorry about that," Hinata says so softly that I barely hear. "But… I thought things would be awkward if you came. Sakura is here, you know?"

"I didn't know it. And I understand why you're worried about me being too close of her. But it's the same thing with Naruto and you… and you did invite him."

Wait – what? What the hell did he mean with you're worried about me being too close of her, her being me? And – Naruto is here too?! Oh, and Hinata did invite him?!

"Yeah… but Naruto still doesn't know about my feelings, so there's no reason why things would be awkward between us," Hinata explains. "I mean, at least not for him. I do avoid him a little, but he's still the same with me, and I want things to stay that way."

"You can't keep it to yourself forever, you know?" Sasuke says. "I tried that too, but sooner or later you'll have to take the risk."

"I don't like risks," is her reply.

They stay quiet for a moment, and Sasuke finally sighs deeply and says: "Why don't you realize, Hinata, that I'm the one for you? That I love you?"

My first thought was: damn, that was corny. But then I remembered that it came from Sasuke – my Sasuke-kun – and I want to cry… because I'd kill to have him saying that to me, and because I know that would never happen.

When Hinata speaks, I notice with surprise that she sound as hurt as me.

"Sasuke… don't say that, please…"

But he ignores that.

"Naruto is a dumbass. He will never realize that you love him. Besides, you know perfectly well that he's in love with Sakura and that that will never change. Ever. You need someone that loves you, someone that wants to take care of you and make you feel happy and the most beautiful girl in the world, not some retarded like him. And I am that someone, Hinata. I am the only one that will ever feel this way for you. You have to realize…"

He interrupts himself, and in that moment, as if my body has moved by its own, I turn around, and I see the love of my life and my best friend kissing passionately.

My eyes widen instantly, and I scream in my mind that this is a dream, that this has to be a fucking dream – a fucking _nightmare_, just like the one I had a few days ago about Sasuke killing himself because of Hinata, but I know very well that it's not, and the tears run down my cheeks before I even realize.

Why does this happen to_ me_? What did I do to make God_ so _angry? Do I _really _disserve this? Maybe this is karma… maybe this is happening because I kind of did the same to Naruto. But, God, I didn't kiss Sasuke in front of him! The scene in front of me is the most horrible punishment I could have ever got.

And, with a broken heart inside my chest and tears soaking my face, I run away, not even caring about my direction, ignoring the vaguely familiar voice (Naruto? Ugh, I don't care; right now I just wanna go away from _them_) yelling my name behind me.

* * *

I don't know how long I've been crying here, inside of the bathroom. I am still so freaking tired from dancing, and I bet I look like shit. But when I hear Naruto's gentle voice at the other side of the door telling me to please open the door, I don't care about my appearance, and I open the door without a second thought.

When I see that familiar face, that face I've known since I was a little innocent kid, and those beautiful blue eyes that remind me of the sea and always make me feel just a little bit better when I'm sad by just staring at them, I remember how horrible and extremely stupid I am for falling in love with Sasuke instead of falling for him, and the tears come back.

Naruto hugs me tightly and closes the door. In another time in this same situation, I would have had pulled away and yelled at him to leave me alone, trying to look like the strong girl who doesn't need someone else´s pity I always pretend to be. But right now, all I need is someone to comfort me, someone to rub my back and whisper in my ear that everything's okay. So I allow myself to act like the weak, scared and sentimental girl I really am just for this time.

* * *

"Hinata wanted me to tell you she's sorry," Naruto says suddenly, breaking the comfortable silence.

I'm not crying anymore; now I feel just… empty… and still very tired. We are sitting in a corner, Naruto's back against the wall, my head against his chest, and our arms wrapped around each other. It's such an intimate position, but I don't care. I want to stay like this for a long time, until I can forget everything, because I feel that if I pull away, my world's going to collapse again.

"Tell her to go to hell," I reply, my voice husky.

"She's not exactly guilty, Sakura. She kissed him because she wanted to prove if she could fall in love with him; she was desperate and very confused. Or at least that's what she told me."

I smirk bitterly. "How can I know she's being honest to me if she's not even honest to herself?"

"...What do you mean?"

…Okay, I do hate her right now, but I'm not a bitch, and I'm not going to tell Naruto what he doesn't know about her. Well, at least not yet.

"Nothing." I shake my head. "Did you talk with her?"

"And with Sasuke," Naruto says. "I watched the whole thing happen and when you ran away, I made a scene that made me look like their angry father." He chuckles. "But it doesn't matter. I was too furious because they hurt my Sakura-chan."

"And what else did they tell you?" I ask immediately, trying not to feel guilty because of his complete devotion to me.

"Sasuke didn't say much. He was arrogant, as always, and said that what happened was not his fault. That bastard… Anyways; Hinata just explained to me what I just told you. She was also crying."

I bite my lower lip. She was crying… I wonder for a moment what I would do if I was on the same situation as her, but… I am. We are in the same situation. And it sucks.

I should feel sorry for her, right? She's suffering a lot too. But… now that I think about it, at least I didn't do a stupid mistake like the one she did by kissing Sasuke in front of me (even though she didn't know I was there, but still). She's even worse than me, I guess. But the one who is suffering the consequences of her mistake is me. I am the most affected one.

And suddenly, I have an idea. I tell myself that it's a horrible idea, the most twisted, sick, and _cruel _idea I've ever had. But that doesn't stop me.

I raise my head and look at Naruto in the eye. He stares back, kind of confused, because, heck, we're so close that I can count how many eyelashes he has. And slowly, almost painfully, I move closer, until my lips brush his.

"Naruto," I whisper.

And then our lips crash against each other and my night of mistakes begins.

_______

* * *

_

_I suggest a drive; let´s take the back road… Let´s get lost, let´s lose our minds._


	8. Chapter Seven

**_Uneasy hearts weigh the most_**

_Chapter Seven_

_(Naruto's POV)_

* * *

I have seen her naked before. Well, not exactly. The closer I've been to that is when I saw her wearing a bikini at the beach. But - oh, wait! There's also that time when I was looking for my cell phone in her bathroom and she was in the shower and I saw her blur form through the curtain. It was just a blur form, but still.

However, no matter how many times I was close to see her (or how many times I imagined her) with not a single cloth on, I never believed this day would really come. Not even in my craziest fantasies.

We're in the bathroom during Hinata's birthday party at the Hyuuga mansion. I'm shirtless, with my back against the cold wall, while Sakura is sitting on my lap, wearing nothing but her underwear. Her green dress and my orange shirt were thrown who knows where, and she's kissing, licking and biting the skin of my neck as I smell the scent of her soft hair and order myself to never forget it.

"Are you ready?" she whispers in my ear, caressing my bare chest with her small hands.

I nod, finding my throat too dry to speak, and gently push her back to lay her on the floor, with me on top of her.

I stare down at her as she giggles, and I realize she has the most beautiful smile I've ever seen. "The floor is cold," she murmurs.

My eyes widen and I freeze. "Really? Um… Uh, we can use another, um, position, if you want to…?" Crap! Please, Sakura, don't feel uncomfortable and then decide this is a bad idea and then leave and then stop talking to me and then-

But she just laughs again. "Don't worry Naruto. I'm fine."

Okay, that's enough. I shouldn't to be so nervous! I mean, we know each other since we were kids, and I know that if I make a mistake she will forgive me. Besides, I can see in her eyes that she loves me… and I don't care in which way, 'cause she still _loves me_, so shut up. And even though there's a voice inside my head that is telling me that this whole situation is _so _not getting a happy ending and that I should stop before it's too late, I focus on the thought of me just wanting to make her happy, to make her feel loved.

So I kiss her again, and we let the things happen.

* * *

I was so close. So fucking _close_! But, shit, why am I a good guy? Why do I have to be _so fucking nice_? If only I were someone who doesn't care about nothing but pleasing himself, any of this would be happening. If only I were a jerk, I wouldn't have stopped _so close _to make the girl of my dreams mine just because I realized that little, annoying voice in the back of my mind was right. If only… If only…

If only the girl I am in love with would love me the way she loves my ex best friend, this would have been so much easier and less painful.

* * *

_**Flashback**_

_We are about to do _it_. To do what every guy of my age dreams about at night. To do what I've always dreamed of doing with this girl, Sakura, my best friend and love of my life. _

_Now I can really say it without it being just a joke: I'M GONNA GET LAID!_

This is not right. She doesn't love you. She loves Sasuke, someone who's everything you're not, and that cannot change so easily. But he doesn't love her back because he loves Hinata, so she's just hurt and thinks that your love will heal her.

_There's that stupid voice again. I wish I could be able to kick its butt and shut it up, 'cause, man, all it says is just _senseless_. M__y love _can _heal her. Sakura just needs to realize that I'm the one she wants, the one she needs. With this, she'll finally open her eyes!_

You know that's not true. It's as if you were having sex with some random girl just to forget about Sakura. That is not real love. That is lying to your own self.

_But I am not some random boy. I am her best friend, the one she trusts the most. She loves me._

Well, that only makes it worst, don't you think?

_Suddenly, I freeze. She's breathing hardly, almost gasping, and I think I can feel her heart beating violently against my own chest. She takes a second to realize I'm not moving anymore, and when she does realize she sits and searches for my eyes._

"_What's wrong?" she asks, her voice barely a whisper. _

_I look at her. The green of her eyes is dull and her black pupils look huge. Her forehead and her chest are covered with sweat, and she's almost completely naked. I would've laughed of her panties with girly ribbons and smiley faces, but right now is so not the time. _

"_Naruto?" she says again, her frown deepening. _

_I look up at her face. She's breathing steadily again, and her eyes are narrowed with worry. I take a deep breath; this is the time._

"_This… this is not okay, Sakura. I feel as if I'm taking advantage of your situation. We are best friends. And… friends definetly don't do _this _to console each other__. You're just upset and you can think clearly; you don't know what you're doing. Besides, I have feelings too, you know? This, with you, means a lot to me, but…" __I gulp. "But this but this isn't the way I want it to happen."_

_I didn't like the way I told her those things. I was too straightforward; I should've been more... delicate. But I was just being competely honest, and I guess that was the right thing to do. I wait patiently for her response as she grabs her dress (which was just beside her) to cover her chest and pushes herself away from me. _

"_Why?" she asks, her face completely blank. "Why are you saying this? Didn't you like me? Why did you let this continue if you think that way!" Her voice became louder when she said the last question, and now I see her face is blank because she's angry as hell. "You think this might hurt_ _your feelings because I don't fucking love you the way I love Sasuke, but what you are doing right now is hurting _me_ even more!"_

_She's starting to cry, but right now I'm not concerned about wiping the tears away from her beautiful face and trying desperately to make her smile again, because, from the first time in a while, I'm only focused on myself – on my own feelings. _

_Sakura just said she loves Sasuke, and even though I knew it and I've been trying to deal with it since we were kids, hearing her saying it for the first time hurt – a lot._

"_I'm… I'm sorry, I guess," I say, shrugging and looking away, swallowing the lump in my throat. "But… Sakura, this shouldn't happen like this. I know this was going to be your first time, and I heard it is supposed to be special, and that it has to be with someone you really love, not with your stupidly-kind best friend." I turn to her and try to smile – to ease the tension in this small bathroom. "So… let's just forget this ever happened – or was about to happen – and just… you know, try to forget that Uchiha jerk and find another guy who would really make you happy."_

_To my surprise, she chuckles. "You know?" she says, sounding almost amused, staring at the floor. "I thought… I thought you were going to say: try to forget that Uchiha jerk and then come again to me 'cause I'll be waiting. But you… you didn't." She pauses, and her look is so intense that I want to look away, but I don't. _

"_You won't wait for me, Naruto, and I know the reason. You've been waiting for too long, haven't you? Everybody gets tired of waiting, sooner or later, and so do you." Her smile widens, but it doesn't reach her eyes. "I wish I could get tired of waiting too."_

_She stands up and I turn my head away. She's half-naked, and I already saw her, but right now she's my friend again, and I feel like respecting her privacy. I see from the corner of my eyes that she puts her green dress on and slips her feet into her white shoes, combing her messy hair with her fingers. When she's ready, I turn to her and our eyes meet for what seems an eternity._

"_If I could choose someone else to love as much as I love Sasuke," she says, and a small, nostalgic smile appears in her face, "I would choose to love you, Naruto, without even thinking twice."_

_I smile back, also nostalgically. "I know you would. But you can't."_

_She nods and puts her hand in the handle, ready to leave. "You're right; I can't," she says finally, and then opens the door and leaves._

_When the door closes softly behind her, I throw my body to the floor and lay there for a while, over the cold, linoleum floor, staring at the white ceiling and just thinking about nothing, even though I have a lot to think about. _

_**End of flashback**_

_**

* * *

**_

So here I am, alone, half-naked, and feeling the most stupid man on earth. But, hell, I just need, like, take a break from all those thoughts, you know? So I stop thinking about the mistake I made just minutes ago (which is not exactly a mistake because it was the right thing to do and I would do it again if I could) and try to be calmed. I just want a short moment of peace, just that…

But then, five seconds after I close my tired eyelids, the door bursts open and I hear a gasp.

"Oh, my gosh, what the hell is a half-naked guy doing in the bathroom!"

The world just won't leave me alone, will it?

* * *

__

_Hey, little girl, I think we found it tonight, I think we glow that fucking bright - oh! And when she laughs I like it, like, "Oh, ha ha ha ha ha!"_


	9. Chapter Eight

_**Uneasy hearts weigh the most**_

_Chapter Eight_

_(Hinata's POV)_

* * *

"Naruto is a dumbass. He will never realize that you love him. Besides, you know perfectly well that he's in love with Sakura and that that will never change. Ever. You need someone that loves you, someone that wants to take care of you and make you feel happy and the most beautiful girl in the world, not some retarded like him."

I don't understand why he's saying all these things. It seems like he just wants to hurt me, even though he's saying all that bullshit about loving me and wanting to make me happy.

He'd make me happy if he'd just shut the fuck up and leave me alone.

"And I am that someone, Hinata. I am the only one that will ever feel this way for you. You have to realize…"

I feel so angry, with so much hatred building inside of me… But when I look up at him and see his face, I feel that my soul sinks to my feet.

Sasuke looks so vulnerable – so sincere. I don't think I've ever seen him like this before. And his eyes, those cold dark eyes that always looked at everyone with the same exasperating amount of indifference, are so soft – so alive. He is showing his true feeling for the first time in a long time.

And my first thought is: he doesn't deserve this. He doesn't deserve to be treated like this by someone like me. He's a good guy. He deserves a girl that would give every tiny piece of her body, every drop of blood she has, for him.

But, unfortunately, I'm not that girl. But not because I don't want to; in fact, I would do anything, _everything_ to love him back. Because I kind of deserve – and need – to be loved too, don't I? And it'd make us both happy –it'd make even Naruto and Sakura happy, because then she wouldn't want to interfere between us and she'd fall in love with Naruto, making him happy, and that wouldn't hurt me anymore because I'd have Sasuke.

Then we'd all be happy if I'd just love Sasuke and not Naruto. But…I don't. I'm madly in love with that blond, smiling guy, not with this mysterious, yet sensible in the inside, guy. And there's nothing I can do, because the heart never listens to the brain.

However… what if the heart can be forced by the brain? What if I can force my feelings to change? I've heard it's impossible, to love someone you don't, but… I've also heard everything is possible. Then what rumor should I believe?

But there's not time to think about it. Sasuke is right here, right now, in front of me, and this is an opportunity I can't waste.

So I lean forward, pulling him against me, and crash my lips against his.

* * *

I first thought it was just some random person who was surprised to see a girl and a boy suddenly kissing in a corner, and I was still embarrassed to have been seen. I'm a shy girl, for God's sake. Being caught doing this kind of thing can make me faint.

But I never even imagined that the person who has seen us would be Sakura.

I am surprised I didn't faint, but my knees are shaking fanatically, and I think that if I let go of Sasuke's arm I will definitely fall to the ground.

This has to be a nightmare. I scream in my mind: _Wake up! Wake up! Hinata, for the love of God, please wake up! _But nothing happens. This is reality – cruel and bitter reality, not a very horrible dream.

I glance at Sasuke from the corner of my eye for an instant. He looks shocked, but not nearly as I might look. I bet my face even drained out of color. Because, I swear, I'd rather find a freaking snake under my pillow than having this – my best friend catching me kissing the guy she likes – happening right now.

I just want to disappear, or go back in time, or hadn't even born.

"Sakura…" I whisper, suddenly remembering how to speak.

She doesn't say anything. Tears run down her flushed cheeks, and her expression is a horrible mix of shock, disbelief, anger and sadness. It makes my heart ache. She looks as if she had just been stabbed by the person she trusts the most… which is, metaphorically, true.

Finally, after what seemed forever, but really were just a few seconds, she turns around and runs away. I want to scream her name, beg her to listen to me, to understand me, but I just can't find the strength to do it.

Pathetically, I just start to cry, covering my face with both hands. I feel Sasuke's arms around me, and I want to yell at him, to tell him to go the fuck away and disappear of my life because this is his entire fault, but I can't bring myself to do that either, so I just push him weakly away.

"Sakura!" I hear Naruto screaming, and, I don't know why, but hearing his voice only makes me cry harder. Maybe it's because I feel as if I disappointed him, as if I betrayed him, so I feel guiltier; or because I see how much he cares about Sakura – how much he loves her and not me; or maybe both of them, I don't know.

Somehow, I know when Naruto is standing in front of me, and I force myself to raise my head, stop crying, and face him. He looks angry – as angry as I've never seen him before, and I think that right now he may even punch me.

"What the fuck were you doing?" he asks. "Are you two idiots?"

He's being too loud and I worry about catching everyone's attention, but when I glance quickly around me, my worry is replaced with embarrassment, because I see that everyone's attention is already on us.

"I can't believe you!" Naruto continues. "I never thought you'd dare to do something as low as that!"

"Naruto, calm down," Sasuke says. I turn to him and can't help but feel angry. He looks calm – too calm. Doesn't he realize what he – what _we_ just did? He broke Sakura's heart! He hurt the girl that loves him the most! Is he stupid?

But then I realize I can't blame him, because, if I'd just been kissed by Naruto in front of him, I wouldn't be too sad for him. I would actually be happy because I kissed Naruto, the man of my dreams. And realizing this, that I care for Sasuke as much as he cares for my (ex?) best friend, makes me want to cry. But Naruto's in front of me, angry, and I don't want to look weak – not anymore. So I just swallow the lump in my throat and force myself to speak properly.

"Listen," I start, staring right into Naruto's beautiful eyes, trying to let him know with the look that I'm being honest. "I didn't know she was here. I mean, I did invite her to my party, but what I mean is that I wouldn't have done what I did if I knew she was watching. It was never my intention to hurt Sakura, believe me."

He stares at me for a long moment, in which I hope he'd believe me and, maybe someday, forgive me. And when he sighs in defeat, I almost smile.

"I believe you," he says. "But I don't know if she would."

My heart starts aching again. "I'm really sorry," I say, my voice shaking, and I swallow the lump in my throat again. "What I did was reckless and has no excuse. But I…I just lost control." I shake my head. "I did it to see if I could fall in love with Sasuke, because that is what would make the four of us happy again." I smile sadly. "But I guess that, in the end, it is impossible to change my feelings."

I can feel Sasuke's intense stare beside me, but I don't want to look at him – to face him. Not now.

Naruto turns to Sasuke. "What about you? Some message you want me to deliver to her?"

I hear him sigh. "No."

"This was you fault too, you know," Naruto says, about to get angry again.

"No, it wasn't," Sasuke says, sounding about to get angry too.

The last thing I need right now is violence, so I step between them and tell to Naruto, "Please go find her and tell her that I'm sorry. I don't expect her to forgive me. I just want her to know that I regret what I did."

Naruto looks like he wants to tell me something else. He hesitates at first, but finally he turns around and goes searching for Sakura.

When people around us start to walk away, I head upstairs, to my bedroom, leaving Sasuke behind. The bedrooms are the only locked places of the house, and no one except me has the keys to open them. So that's the perfect place to be alone right now.

I hope that people will get tired of the party soon and just leave me alone in my house.

Suddenly, I remember it is my birthday. And as I throw myself on my comfy bed, I smile bitterly. This is the worst birthday I've ever had, which is something kind of funny, I don't know why.

My life sucks; LOL.

* * *

I had been crying for almost an hour, and I would've continued if it wasn't because of three soft knocks on my door.

"Go away!" I scream. I bury my face on my pillow and continue sobbing like a baby.

But the person knocking is persistent.

"I said go away!" I scream again.

"Hinata, it's me," a familiar voice says.

My head aches; I've cried too much, I guess. So it's hard for me to recognize that voice at first, but I recognize it at the end.

"Sasuke," I say, sniffing. "Sasuke, please go away." _Because I cannot deal with you right now._

"It' okay, I don't want to interrupt you," he replies from the other side of the door. "I'm actually about to leave. I just wanted to wish you happy birthday again."

Happy? How can this birthday be happy, with everything that just happened? But still, he just wants to be kind. I should be a little nicer to him for that. "Thank you," I say. Suddenly, I remember something. "Hey, have you known about Naruto or Sakura?"

He stays quite for a moment, and I almost think he's already gone, but then he says, "I saw Sakura leave. And I heard about some blond guy who was found half-naked in the bathroom. I think it was Naruto."

"Half-naked in the bathroom?" I repeat, but then I shrug it off. I already know Naruto is weird, anyways. "Okay… And how did Sakura look when you saw her? Did she look better?"

He makes a pause. I wonder why he hesitates so much to talk about this. "No. She was… crying. And looked like crap. Her hair was a mess and her make-up too."

Ouch. "Did you… Did you talk to her?"

Again, he pauses. "Yes."

"And… what did she tell you?" _And why do you seem uncomfortable talking about this?_

But this time, Sasuke's pause is longer, and I know he's not going to answer to that. So I jump off my bed and open my door to find him right there, with his hands stuffed inside his pockets and an expression on his face I had never seen before.

He looks like crap. As if he just woke up from a hangover. As if he has cried for months.

"Sasuke?" is all I can say.

He looks up at me and his eyes seem to beg me for something. "Did you know?" he asks. "Did you know that she loves me?"

I'm really shocked for what he just asked. I never expected something like that. But I force myself to talk. "Are you talking about Sakura?" When he nods, I add, "Oh. Well, I thought you did know she likes you. I mean, everyone notices-"

"No, no, I'm not talking about that." He shakes his head. "I did know she liked me, but I thought it was, you know, something shallow, that she just liked me because of my looks or something. But…" He lets a sigh that almost sounds like a sob go. "But… she loves me. Like, she _really loves_ me. She loves me as much as I love you, and maybe even more! She… she…" He shakes his head again and growls. "Agh, how is this possible?"

Sasuke covers his face with his hands. I watch him, completely shocked and speechless, as he mutters things I don't pay attention to.

I had always thought he knew how Sakura feels about him. I mean, it was obvious that she didn't _just like him_; it was obvious that she loved – like_, really_ loved – him. But… maybe I was the only one who could realize. Maybe Sasuke and the other people thought it was just a crush. Maybe I was the only one who knew better.

But his ignorance of the real situation isn't what surprises me the most. What makes me speechless is that he seems kind of… guilty, or something. He seems to wish he had known it before. He seems to regret things.

I do know how much Sasuke loves me; I do know he _really_ loves me. But still… I don't care much. So, if our situations are supposed to be so similar, why does he look so angry with himself, as if he does care about Sakura's feelings, when I don't care about his feelings?

Perhaps our situations aren't as similar as I thought. And if that's really the case, then I already know what to do. But… I have to make sure of something.

"Sasuke," I say. He uncovers his face and stops talking to look up at me. "Do you care about Sakura? But, like, _really_ care about her?"

He hesitates, but not because he doesn't want to answer, but because he seems to think about that for the first time. "I think I do," he finally answers, and he looks kind of surprised of it.

"And do you…" Here comes the bomb! "…feel something special for her?"

He looks at me as if I just insulted his mom. "What do you mean? What's you point?"

"Sasuke…" I murmur, "Do you?"

He seems to try to consider it for a moment. And then, the faint blush on his cheeks tells me everything.

I smile, suddenly forgetting about my sadness, focused on this little chance – this little hope.

* * *

_I got lies to tell your children, when my smiles pierces through your bones... Right through you bones..._

* * *

Notes: OMG Hinata's so awesome :O But I'm scared D: Do I have grammar mistakes? o.O Please tell meeeeeee! And review :D


	10. Chapter Nine

____

**_Uneasy hearts weigh the most_**

_Chapter nine_

_(Sasuke's POV)_

* * *

"…the most beautiful girl in the world, not some retarded like him. And I am that someone, Hinata. I am the only one that will ever feel this way for you. You have to realize…"

I stop, because I believe I've said enough. If everything I'm telling her doesn't make her understand, then nothing would. And I really hope she would finally realize that I'm the one for her, but not just because I want her to be mine and only mine, but because I can't stand seeing her so hurt and sad. She has to give up, to forget about Naruto and Sakura, to be a little more selfish and think about her own happiness.

I stare at her and wait for her reaction. She looks so beautiful, wearing a short, gray silk dress under a black leather jacket. Her hair is tied into a messy ponytail and her lips are painted red. She seems taller, but just because she's wearing high heels. Her beauty is so breath-taking, and I just can't believe Naruto would prefer Sakura instead of her. He really is an idiot. Sakura may be kind of pretty, but she would never look as beautiful as Hinata – ever; not her, not anyone, because my girl is just unique.

She's taking too long to answer. Or maybe time is just slowing down for me. I probably seem like a stalker right now, trying to force her into choosing me instead of my stupid best friend. I should just turn around, leave and never speak to her again, no matter how much it would hurt me, because she doesn't seem like she's comfortable talking about this.

But before I can even move, her petite hands grip my shirt and she pulls me closer to her. I'm confused; what is she doing? But then her face inches closer to mine, and I realize she'll kiss me – but not a kiss on the cheek like the last time. She's going to kiss my lips…

OH _CRAP_, IT'S FINALLY GOING TO HAPPEN!

* * *

I am enjoying my very first kiss until Hinata suddenly pulls away and turns her head to a side. I groan softly. Why did she do that? My dream has finally came true and I want to stay like this forever, with my lips against her soft, delicious lips, and our bodies as close as they've ever been.

But then I notice the expression on her face. She looks completely horrified, her pretty gray eyes widened, her mouth slightly agape. I follow her gaze, wondering what has interrupted our glorious moment, and then I see her.

Sakura is standing at the other side of the drinks table beside us, and she looks almost as horrified as Hinata. The only difference is that Hinata seems horrified in an ashamed and shocked way, and Sakura just seems like she has been stabbed in the heart.

I don't understand. I've never understand. Why is Sakura like this with me? She seems like she really cares about me, like if seeing Hinata and I kissing is the most painful thing in the world, but I know better. I know that she's just a fangirl and that she just has a silly little crush on me because she thinks I'm something I'm not.

But this silly little crush has lasted for more than five years, and more than a crush, it already seems to be an obsession. And no, there's no way in hell that this is, like, real love; that would be more impossible than zebras raining from the sky. Sakura may be annoying and so cheerful that it frustrates me – even though I have always secretly liked her smile – but in the inside, she's smart – perhaps smarter than me – and strong. She's just like the light, and I'm like the darkness. But she shines too bright, even brighter than Hinata, and that's why the thought of she loving me – a person so damn different from her – is just illogic.

Besides, in the inside, I know she's too immature to know what she really wants. That's why I have never really paid much attention to her. She cannot be really in love with me; she just likes my looks; she's just shallow. But Hinata is nothing like her; that's why I want her and not Sakura.

"Sakura…" Hinata whispers beside me and I offer her my arm, because she looks like she's about to faint. She grabs it tightly and I can feel her whole body shaking. Startled, I realize she's already crying.

And Sakura is crying, too. Well, she's actually crying since I noticed her. And, to be honest, she looks worse than Hinata. She seems to be more hurt. And it makes me angry. Why does she have to pretend this? Why does she have to make suffer Hinata just because I like her more? She really needs to get over this childish crush…

After a few ore seconds of staring, Sakura finally turns around and runs away. Hinata lets out a whimper and covers her face with her hands. I wrap my arms around her, trying to comfort her, as I glare daggers to the people staring at us. But Hinata pushes me away gently – weakly – and I just pat her back as she cries, giving her the space she needs.

Naruto appears out of nowhere and calls Sakura, but she doesn't turn around; she continues running, as if she were escaping from something horrible. Hinata starts sobbing harder as Naruto turns to us. He looks at Hinata, and then at me. I just glare back.

"What the fuck are you doing?" he asks loudly, walking towards us. "Are you two idiots?" Hinata raises her head and stops sobbing. "I can't believe you!" Naruto continues. "I never thought you'd dare to do something as low as that!"

"Naruto, calm down," I tell him, trying to sound calm. I know he's very pissed off, and I am too, just a little, but I don't wanna start a fight – not right now.

But Naruto ignores and looks at Hinata as she tells him, "Listen, I didn't know she was here. I mean, I did invite her to my party, but what I mean is that I wouldn't have done what I did if I knew she was watching. It was never my intention to hurt Sakura... believe me."

Naruto looks a t her for a long moment and then sighs and says, "I believe you. But I don't know if she would."

"I'm really sorry." Hinata's voice shakes. "What I did was reckless and has no excuse. But I… I just lost control. I did it to see if I could fall in love with Sasuke, because that is what would make the four of us happy again." She smiles sadly. "But I guess that, in the end, it is impossible to change my feelings."

So she did it just because she wanted to do an experiment, huh? She practically played with me. I just stare at her, completely surprised, because I didn't know sweet Hinata would dare to play with someone else's feelings. But I guess nothing is what it seems to be.

Naruto nods and looks at me. "What about you? Do you have something to say?"

I just sigh. "No," I say, and it's the truth.

"This was your fault too, you know?" he says, starting to get angry again.

I start to get angry too. "No, it wasn't." Hinata was the one who kissed me, after all.

We glare at each other until Hinata steps between us. "Please go find her and tell her that I'm sorry," she says to Naruto, sounding really exhausted. "I don't expect her to forgive me. I just want her to know that I regret what I did," she says, and knowing she regrets the best thing that ever happened to me hurts – a lot.

Naruto hesitates, but then finally leaves. Hinata leaves, too, without saying anything. She just leaves me behind, as if she didn't care. And the truth is that she doesn't.

* * *

I'm sitting next to the drinks table. People pass by, laughing, talking, flirting, and dancing. I just watch, as if I am invisible. And I really feel as if I am invisible right now. Or maybe it's just that I feel that nobody cares about me. The girl I love isn't what I thought she was, Naruto is no longer my best friend – or at least not after what Hinata and I did – and Sakura… I really think she hates me right now. So, I got no best friends left. I'm alone.

I take a sip of my drink. It has no alcohol, but I really wish I could get drunk and forget about my sorrows for just a moment, but I have to drive home and I don't feel depressed enough to kill myself in a car accident. I'm getting annoyed with so much people around me and the loud sound of the music, so I stand up and decide to go outside and have some fresh air.

Outside of the Hyuuga's mansion, at the yard, it is rather peaceful. There are no much people here, just a few couples making out near the trees and some guys already leaving in their cars. I stand near the door, staring at the green grass and taking sips of my drink.

"Excuse me," I hear someone say from the door, and I recognize the voice.

I turn around and see Sakura walking down the steps of the porch, barefoot, holding her shoes in one hand. She looks… terrible, as if some bear tried to attack her something. Her makeup is a mess, so is her hair, and her eyes are red from crying so much. Even her green dress is slightly messed up.

She is leaving, I realize, and, I don't why, it is like an impulse, but I run towards her, saying, "Hey, hey! Wait up!"

She freezes and turns slowly. She seems shocked to see me. "S-Sasuke?"

I stop in front of her, looking her right in the eye. And as I stare at her, I see something I have always failed to notice. It doesn't matter how crushed she can be in the inside, how miserable she may feel; her eyes always seem to shine as the sun when she sees me, as if… as if… as if she adores me or something and just the sight of my face can make her forget everything and anything and make her feel happy to know I'm there...

My mouth is suddenly really dry, so I shave to swallow. "Sakura," I say, "are you…" Really in love with me? "Are you alright?"

Stupid question. Really stupid question. Of course she isn't alright – not in the inside, at least, because on the outside she's not injured or something, so I guess that's good enough.

But I'm surprised to hear her chuckle. "No, I'm not," she says, and the tenderness of her voice makes me want to yell at her for not hating me as I deserve to be hated. "But thanks for asking, anyways."

I try to think of something else to tell her, something to keep her here, with me, because it seems like I don't want her to go away. But I can't think of nothing, and I panic, because the silence is horribly awkward.

But Sakura sighs and speaks calmly, surprising me. "Sasuke, I don't, like, hate you for what happened. The only I kind of hate is Hinata. But I saw, you know? I saw she was the one who kissed you. And I know her well, too. I know she's in love with Naruto, and I do believe what she told Naruto to tell me: that she just wanted to prove if she could fall in love with you."

I smirk bitterly. "You're right. She didn't really mean it. She kind of played with me."

"And I'm sorry."

I raise my head and stare at her with widened eyes. How can she? How can she feel sorry for me when her situation is maybe worst? And how can she smile at me that way, after everything that happened tonight? How?

And that's when I realize the truth. Hinata isn't the sweet, un-shallow girl I thought she was, and Sakura isn't the selfish, immature girl she seemed to be. It was the other way around.

* * *

It's not as if I am very happy with Hinata right now, but I can't say my feelings for her are completely over. I still care about her. And kind of still love her. But just a bit. So after giving Sakura a ride home, in which the two of us didn't say anything but goodbye, I come back to the party just to check how Hinata's doing, because I still worry for her.

But I can't find her anywhere in the house. She's not in the kitchen, not in the living room, not in the pool… And there's just one place left to search.

I go upstairs, ignoring the no-people-allowed-upstairs rule. The rooms are all closed, but I've came to Hinata's house before, so I know where her room is. I softly knock the door three times, and cringe when Hinata screams from the inside, "Go away!"

I knock again and she screams, "I said go away!"

"Hinata, it's me," I murmur.

She sniffs and says softly, "Sasuke… Sasuke, please go away."

Now that I saw she's okay, just a kind of sad, I understand she just wants to be alone, so I say, "It's okay; I don't want to interrupt you. I'm actually about to leave. I just wanted to wish you happy birthday again." Though I don't think the word 'happy' fits in right now.

"Thanks," Hinata says. "Hey, have you known about Naruto or Sakura?"

Sakura. Hearing her name suddenly makes me feel really weird. I pause before answering, "I saw Sakura leave." Then I remember what I heard some people commenting when I came back to the house, so I add, "And I heard about some blond guy who was found half-naked in the bathroom. I think it was Naruto."

"Half-naked?" Hinata repeats, as if the word was in another weird language. "Okay… And how did Sakura look when you saw her? Did she look better?"

I hesitate a little and then say, "No. She was… crying. And looked like crap. Her hair was a mess and her make-up too." I suddenly remember how she had looked, so vulnerable and fragile, but she still managed to smile for me. It makes me get that weird feeling again.

"Did you… Did you talk to her?"

I stuff my hands inside my pockets and pause again. "Yes."

"And… what did she tell you?"

I get lost on my memories, remembering everything she said, her smiles, the tenderness in her voice, and the way the green of her eyes turned lighter when she looked at me…

I hear footsteps and then the door of Hinata's bedroom opens. Hinata stares at me with a shocked expression. "Sasuke?"

I look up at her, and I don't know why I feel so suddenly vulnerable. "Did you know?" I ask. "Did you that she loves me?"

She blinks, surprised. "Are you talking about Sakura?" I nod. "Oh. Well, I thought you knew she likes you. I mean, everyone notices-"

"No, no, I'm not talking about that." I shake my head. "I did know she liked me, but I thought it was, you know, something shallow, that she just liked me because of my looks or something. But…" I sigh deeply. "But… she loves me. Like, she really loves me. She loves me as much as I love you, and maybe even more! She… she…" I shake my head again and growl. "Agh, how is this possible?"

I cover my face with my hands, mumbling, "I thought it was impossible for someone like her to love me! What's going on?", until Hinata calls my name again.

"Sasuke." I uncover my face and look up at her. "Do you care about Sakura? But, like, really care about her?"

I am about to say how ridiculous that questions is, but something stops me. I start to consider it. I consider about liking Sakura as more than a friend. Can you believe this? Yesterday, I would have thought it was ridiculous, but today… Dammit, I am not sure!

"I think I do," I finally say, kind of unsure, but I feel surprised at how good it felt to say it.

"And do you… feel something special for her?" Hinata asks.

"What do you mean? What's your point?" I ask, kind of frustrated. What more does she wants? I already said I like Sakura more than a friend is supposed to like his friend!

"Sasuke…" Hinata murmurs, "Do you?"

Do I? Is what I feel for Sakura love? Do I maybe love Sakura more than I love Hinata? In fact, do I really still love Hinata?

Hell, so much confusion!

But then I start thinking about Sakura, about her weird pink hair, about her large forehead kids used to make fun of until the Yamanaka girl protected her, about her pretty eyes and about that gorgeous smile, and then… and then…

And then I feel my cheeks get warmer, and I watch as Hinata smiles for the first time during the whole night.

___

* * *

_

_The grass is green inside my yard. I can make you laugh so fucking hard it hurts you… inside your bones…_

* * *

Notes: Finally: a chapter in Sasuke's POV! I don't know why, but I've written more in Sakura's and Naruto's POV... maybe they're just more fun. And, yeah, I know I practically re-write the last chapter but in a different POV. I just felt like it. :) Anyways! Next chapter: Sakura's POV.

**Please review! :D **


	11. Chapter Ten

**_Uneasy hearts weigh the most_**

_Chapter Ten_

_(Sakura's POV)_

* * *

I didn't come to school yesterday; I faked feeling sick. Not because I hate Mondays, but because I didn't feel prepared to see _them _again. And by _them_ I mean my three ex- best friends. I didn't want to see Naruto because we almost lost our virginity in the bathroom of Hinata's house, and because he sort of rejected me. I didn't want to see Hinata because I kind of ruined her birthday party (something she may have deserved) and because I hate her for betraying me. And I didn't want to see Sasuke - well, actually, I did want to see him; who doesn't want to see their crush?

But today, Tuesday, is different. Not because I love Tuesdays because my favorite program is at six o' clock, but because I feel as if I'm a completely different person. I'm not the Sakura from the party, the one who cried a river when she saw her best friend kissing her crush and almost had sex with her best male friend just because she needed comfort. Now I'm the Sakura who will smile and act as if nothing had happened during the weekend and just _live_ her life.

I arrived early. I'm chatting outside of the classroom with some friends. (See? I don't need _them_; I have a lot more friends!) I'm laughing at a joke someone said, when a guy suddenly looks at something behind me and says, "Hey! What's up, Naruto?"

Naruto comes besides me and greets the guy. "What up?" He smiles as if everything is just the same. He doesn't even glance at me, as if I'm not even visible.

I consider saying something like, "Hello, Naruto," in a look-at-me-I'm-right-here tone. But I guess it's better this way. If we ignore each other temporally, forgetting everything will be easier.

Naruto leaves and I try to forget about him as I continue talking with my friends. _Just smile,_ I tell myself. _Just pretend nothing happened. You're a new Sakura, remember?_

After a few minutes, I change my position and lean against the wall just in time to see someone else coming.

"Good morning," Hinata says as she passes beside us to enter the classroom.

I glance at her for a moment; she's staring at the floor and she looks like she didn't have enough sleep last night. I try to take my eyes off here and ignore her as I did with Naruto, but there's just something that makes me wanna raise my head and glare at her. But I wont do that because, as my grandma used to say: if you act as if your enemies' actions matter, they'll feel important and they'll continue bothering you.

So I continue talking with my friends, but from the corner of my eye, I see Hinata giving me a weird look right before entering the classroom. I don't look back, but my body stiffens. _What the hell was that?_

The bell rings then, and we all enter the classroom. I take a seat at the back, as far as possible from Naruto and Hinata, near to a window. But I'm already sitting on the chair and the other students are taking the other seats when I remember that Sasuke uses to sit near the windows. My heart starts racing as I realize that the only seat near the window left is right behind me. And – _oh, my God_, Sasuke is just coming into the classroom.

He looks so damn sexy. Seriously, so much sexiness shouldn't be allowed in this school. His hair is messy as always, as if he didn't even care to fix it a little when he woke up, but it looks_ perfect_. He's wearing the lame school uniform, but somehow it doesn't look lame on him. He has his backpack hanging on one of his shoulders, and the careless way he walks just screams: "_I'm very cool and you know it."_

This guy is just perfect. Ever since I met him, when we were like eleven years old and he came to play at Naruto's, my neighbor, house a lot, I knew there was something special in him. But it wasn't because of his looks, though I admit he was very cute, that I kind of fell in love with him. It was because even though he is always cold towards people, I know that he has a warm side, and because those moments when he's nice to me make me feel just… I don't know – the luckiest person in the whole world.

Too bad he's in love with the most horrible best friend ever, right?

I try to pay attention to every of the teacher's movements as he enters the classroom in an attempt to ignore my quick heartbeat and the fact that Sasuke is going to sit behind me. As he passes beside me, I freeze when he glances briefly at me, but I don't look back - I don't dare to.

I let out a small sigh of relief when he sits on his seat because looking at him makes me really nervous and now I can't see him anymore. But my body stiffens when I see Hinata from the corner of my eye. She is sitting in the front, like any nerd girl, but her head is turned and she's looking at me. Wait, no! She's not looking at me, she's looking at… Sasuke. In weird way. As if she is trying to tell him something.

Oh, my God, are they, like-?

But the teacher starts the class and I shake my thoughts away. Hinata and Sasuke _dating_? Hah, that's just ridiculous!

Or so I hope.

* * *

I really wanted to focus on my classes, but damn, it had been really hard. Sasuke's presence behind me made me nervous as hell. I kind of felt he was staring at the back of my head or something; I wasn't completely sure, but I just knew he was. And knowing he was there, watching every of my movements, made me feel uneasy.

So, yeah, it was like a torture, and when the bell finally rang announcing it was lunch time, I was really, _really _relieved. I jumped off my seat and actually ran to the door. But I hope Sasuke didn't notice that I kind of wanted to escape the hell out of there.

I was the first one to exit the classroom. I am standing beside the door, kind of gasping for air. Running to the door had been exhausting. I feel better, though; as if someone had taken a big burden off me. But then my moment of relief ends when I realize my friends haven't come out, and I panic. If _they_ see me here, all alone, they'll think I'm nothing without them and pity me or something!

I pause as a bunch of students come out of the classroom, not letting me go inside and look for my friends. When I see Naruto is among them and our eyes meet for a second, I quickly look away, blushing slightly.

The crowd finally leaves and I enter the classroom once again. There are just a few people inside. A classmate is cleaning the board; my friends are talking at the back of the classroom; and near the window, just where I had sat, are Sasuke and Hinata talking.

Jealousy strikes me just a second later, and I frown. Why is that bitch talking to him? And why doesn't Sasuke get away from her? She played with his feelings; isn't he supposed to hate her? Or is he too damn masochist?

But then I actually notice the looks on their faces, and jealousy turns into confusion. They're standing in front of each other, not too close, but close enough for me to get angry. Sasuke looks really annoyed, and for a moment I'm glad he's being his jerk self with Hinata. But then I look at Hinata and see the expression on her face; she looks _dangerous_, as if she is threatening Sasuke or something. But Hinata isn't the kind of person that threatens people… is she? Then what's going on?

"Hey, Sakura!" one of my friends calls, and I jump in surprise. I see that my friends finished talking and that they're walking towards me. "Where the hell did you go, huh?"

I open my mouth to say something, but I forget my words in the moment I see that Hinata and Sasuke aren't talking anymore, because they're now busy _staring at me_.

I can't feel more grateful when my friends ignore my reaction and just pull me out of the classroom with them.

* * *

"They seemed to be arguing?" Temari repeats after I told her everything that happened. She knows everything about my situation; she has been the one who advised me and stuff. The only thing she doesn't know is that Naruto and I almost had sex, because that's really my deepest secret.

I take a sip of my apple juice. "Yeah. What do you think about it?"

Temari puts her elbow over the lunch table and rests her chin on her hand. "I really don't know. They could've been arguing about the kiss, or they could've been arguing about anything, like how cloudy today is." She sighed. "I don't know, Sakura; there are a lot of possibilities."

"Why would they argue about the weather?" I ask, but then shake my head. "Whatever. The point is that I can't take it outta my head. And another thing that has been making me anxious is the look that she gave him in the morning. She was, like, at the front of the classroom and he was almost at the back, and she actually turned her head just to look at him! And it was such a weird look, with such an important message behind it, and… I don't know." I sigh. "Temari, do you think they are, like, dating?"

She makes a face. "Hell no!" she exclaims. "I mean, Sasuke likes her and whatever, but, according to what you've told me before, Hinata is insanely in love with Naruto. And I really don't think the Uchiha boy would be stupid enough to date someone that doesn't love him, and Hinata doesn't seem to be bitch enough to date him after what happened in her party."

"Well, I'm not sure about Hinata not being bitch enough," I say, "but about Sasuke, you may be right. I don't think he's stupid enough." Or so I hope.

* * *

I talked with Temari about other stuff until the bell rang and lunch was over. I said goodbye to her and, feeling too lazy to look for a friend to go with me, I went to the bathroom by myself.

When I come out of the bathroom, I feel glad my bladder is already empty, because I get the fright of my life.

"Sasuke!" I exclaim, staring with wide eyes at the boy right beside the girl's bathroom. He's leaning against the wall, arms crossed, and he looks like a badass sexy prince.

He looks at me, expressionless. "We need to talk." And he sounds so serious that I just nod and follow him.

The corridors are empty and the classes already started. But I don't care about skipping my boring History class; I'd rather talk with Sasuke. Besides, my heart is racing at the sight of him, and not just because he's handsome as hell, but because he looks so intense and serious that I'm already nervous. I'm sure that whatever he's about to tell me is something very important.

When Sasuke stops in front of the janitor's room, I say, "Um, Sasuke? What are you doing?" But he ignores me and opens the door, motioning me to step inside. I do it, because, damn, I just can't say no to him.

He steps inside too, and closes the door behind him. I'm glad the room is dark because I don't want him to see my blush and realize about the dirty thoughts crossing my mind. "What do we need to talk about?" I ask, smiling uneasily.

It's not too dark, so I can see his face and the serious expression on it. "You said you don't hate me," he says flatly. I nod, caught off guard, and he continues. "Then… how do you feel about me?"

I blink and feel my face get warmer. "I…" I wet my lips. "Well, I like you. I mean!" My face is really hot now. "I mean, as a friend. You're a jerk sometimes, and kind of cold, but I know you since we were, like, eleven, so I know that you're a good person despite your attitude, and…"I stop, wondering if I have said too much.

But Sasuke just nods and says, "So you like me," he pauses, "as a friend." I nod. "Then… what would you do if a friend like me tells you that he doesn't want you to _like_ him?"

...Oh. So this is it. He just wanted to tell me to… get away from him? "Umm… I guess I would tell him that it's okay," I answer, trying to hide the sadness of my voice. "If the feeling of friendship isn't mutual then there's nothing I can do."

"There is something you can do," Sasuke says. "You could stop lying to him."

"Lying to him?" I repeat, offended. "Sasuke, I'm not lying to you!"

"Yes, you are." He steps closer to me, and we're so close that I can feel his hot breath against my skin. "You say you just like me as a friend, but that's not true, and we both know it. I know you feel something stronger for me, something that isn't just a silly little crush, something I thought I felt too."

Oh, my God, is he really saying this?

"Say it, Sakura," he orders. "Say that you're in love with me."

This _has_ to be a dream. I cannot be with Sasuke inside a janitor's room as close as we've never been and he cannot be telling me he knows I love him.

"I'm in love with you."

Oh _shit_, I said it. _Why_ did I fucking say it? The words just escape from my mouth; it wasn't even voluntary! I'm so stupid... Now Sasuke's going to look at me with disgust and tell me to never talk to him _ever again_ and then I'll cry for two hours and then go back to my house and kill myself and-

_Oh_.

Oh, no, he didn't. Yeah, this is too surreal; it totally has to be a dream. Sasuke is _not _kissing me; no, he is obviously not. That's just impossible. Why would he kiss me? He'd kiss me just in my craziest fantasies.

But still, I don't want to wake up from this dream because it feels _so real_ and his lips are _so soft_ and his hands are pulling me against him and I just _love_ this feeling.

He separates his lips from mine and whispers, "I knew it." And then he continues kissing me.

And as I raise my hands to touch his hair and pull him even closer and his tonge brushes mine, I realize this is just _too _real, and this _can't _be a dream.

This _is_ happening. I'm _not_ dreaming. We _are _making out!

* * *

"I thought you loved Hinata," I say, and I cannot believe I said that, and I instantly regret it because Sasuke freezes and stops kissing my neck.

But he doesn't pull away from me. He just buries his face in my neck and hugs my waist. "You smell like heaven," he murmurs, and his hot breath tickles my skin.

I am about to say something else, but then I shut my mouth, fearing I would screw a romantic moment up – again. So I just put my arms around him too and wish I could stay like this forever, inside this janitor's room, sitting on the floor with my back against the wall and with Sasuke's body over mine.

We stay quiet for a couple minutes, in which I try to etch every detail of this moment on my memory, until Sasuke pulls away and looks at me straight in the eye. His eyes are as soft as I've ever seen them, and I melt into the pleasant sensation of his hand caressing my cheek.

"You didn't answer me before," I remind him, because I really want to know.

"She isn't what I thought she was," he finally says. "And you aren't what I thought you were, either."

"And what did you think I was?" I ask.

"A fangirl that liked me just because of my looks." He smirks. "A selfish little girl with no brains. Someone as shallow as-"

"Okay, okay, I get it."

Sasuke chuckles softly and leans his forehead against mine, his eyes closed. I think I've never seen him so relaxed. I put my hands on both sides of his face as he continues. "The point is that I've always liked you, more than I've ever liked Hinata, but I thought you were something you're not, so I never gave myself the chance to accept my feelings for you." He opens his eyes. "Until now."

He kisses my lips sweetly, making me dizzy. But I have something else to ask, so I pull slightly away. "But… why until now?"

Sasuke sighs. "Because I realized Hinata isn't the sweet girl who would never play with someone else's feelings I thought she was. Besides, I talked to her after I gave you a ride home. I came back to the party to look for her and see how she was doing. We talked about you. I told her that I had realized how… how I really feel. And she gave me an advice. Or, actually, she kind of forced me to tell you how I feel, even though I didn't think it was a good idea." He smirks. "But seems like I was wrong."

So that was what they were arguing about, huh? She wanted him to confess to me but he didn't want to. He did it at the end, but this was all Hinata's idea…

Suddenly I feel guilty from calling her a bitch.

"What?" Sasuke asks, frowning at my expression.

I smile softly. "Nothing. It's just that I think I owe Hinata an apology."

* * *

I really wanted to stay in the janitor's room with Sasuke for another hour, and he kind of wanted that, too, but I have to talk to Hinata, so I just ignore my desires and do what I have to do.

Sasuke and I come out of the janitor's room just when the bell rings. We head for our homeroom classroom. The English teacher has left already and our next teacher, the Science teacher, hasn't arrived yet. I have time to talk to Hinata, something I'm not very glad of, because the truth is that I don't _want_ to, but I _must_ and I _should_, so I'll do it if I can.

Feeling kind of nervous, I spot the dark-haired girl talking with Naruto. Naruto laughs and grins and acts like he always does, but Hinata seems a little awkward, and – God, how _stupid_ can Naruto be to not notice the way she looks at him and the faint blush on her cheeks?

I gasp softly when Sasuke kisses my cheek, muttering, "Good luck," and then I watch with a hand against my kissed cheek as he walks away, feeling overjoyed at the realization that now he's mine and I'm his.

But this is not the time for that. I start to walk towards Naruto and Hinata. Naruto is the first to notice me, and Hinata follows his shocked gaze until I'm standing right beside her. She gasps softy and says, "Oh! S-Sakura. Hi."

I smile nervously. "Hi. Um, Hinata, can I talk to you?"

She raises her eyebrows but then nods and says, "S-Sure. Let's go to my seat."

"No, don't bother," Naruto says, standing up. I look at him, but he's looking at Hinata. "I was about to leave, anyways. Bye!" He leaves, smiling, and he glances at me for a second. I offer him a small smile of appreciation.

When Naruto is gone, I turn to Hinata, who seems very nervous. But, somehow, I don't feel nervous anymore. I'm sure about what I'm going to do, which I'm sure is the right thing. "I'm sorry," I say, "for being such a drama queen. You… you kind of screwed it up, yes, but… but I know you regret it. You're just human. It's okay to make a few mistakes, right?" I smile slightly.

Hinata looks at me, astonished, and asks, "Oh, my God, Sakura, are you serious?" She shakes her head. "You shouldn't be the one apologizing! It should be me!"

"But don't tell me you're sorry," I say. "I already know you are. Besides, actions speak louder than words and what you did for Sasuke and me…" My smile widens. "Damn, Hinata, thank you!"

I hug her and she gasps, caught off guard, but then slowly hugs me back. "No, Sakura. Thank _you_," she murmurs, and I know I have my best friend back.

* * *

When the Science class ends and the teacher leaves, I turn around and tell Sasuke, who is still sitting behind me, "Hinata and I made up. I have my best friend back."

Sasuke smirks and puts a hand over mine. "You must be really happy now, huh?"

I nod and my smile widens. "I am. Everything's fine now." But then I remember Naruto; things between me and him are still awkward. "Except for one thing."

"What thing?" Sasuke asks, and I mentally scold myself for letting that out. Sasuke _can't_ know I almost had sex with Naruto!

"Um…" I start, but my panicked mind quickly comes up with something. "Because I don't know what we are. I mean – you and me. Are we like… you know…?" I blush and look away.

Sasuke's smirk widens and I jump slightly when I feel his lips against my hand. He looks at me with that weird look that makes me feel like I'm floating or something and says, "Yeah. We are. You are my girlfriend, Sakura."

I smile and lean forward until my face is just inches away from his and murmur, "And you are my boyfriend, Sasuke," and then I kiss him.

* * *

_Holy shit, she smells like heaven, been best friends since we were eleven. And, oh, my God, I like her! Yeah, I heard you like her._

* * *

Notes: Yay, SasuSaku moments! NaruHina is coming soon ;) Anyways, thanks for reviewing. You really make me smile. :D


	12. Chapter Eleven

**Uneasy Hearts Weigh The Most**

_Chapter eleven_

_(Naruto's POV)_

* * *

Talking to Hinata makes me feel happy. I don't know why. It just somehow makes me forget about everything. There's just something special going on with her, I guess. She doesn't even talk that much; she just smiles and nods and laughs every now and then. I'm the one who talks and talks and talks, but she listens to every word I say. It makes me feel… good. It makes me feel as if someone actually cares about me.

And as Hinata tells me about the movie she watched last weekend, a thought strikes me. How would my life be if I had a girlfriend like Hinata? She listens to me, stays by my side no matter what and seems to like me for who I am. And she's pretty, too; her eyes are beautiful and her pink cheeks make her look kind of cute. Besides, I think she's the only person who has never called me idiot or something mean like that. Ever since I first met her, she has always been really nice to me.

Okay, so having a girlfriend like Hinata would be the best thing ever. But that's never going to happen, because I'm madly in love with Sakura and because a girl like Hinata – so intelligent and polite and just _perfect_ – would never like someone like me.

I laugh. Oh, man, what am I thinking? I've never thought about Hinata this way. She has always been just my friend – a very special friend, because she's always there for me and I can really trust her no matter what – but still, just a friend. Thinking about her as a potential girlfriend is just ridiculous.

"What are you laughing at?" Hinata asks me, interrupting her rant about how fake the zombies in the movie looked.

"Uh, it's nothing," I say, shaking my head. "It's just… I was thinking about random stuff."

She frowns. "Oh, so you weren't paying attention to me?"

"Sorry," I say, grinning, and Hinata smiles back. She never gets mad at me, no matter what.

Hinata continues telling me about the lame movie, and I decide to pay attention to her now. But I get distracted when I notice the faint black eyeliner she's wearing today, and I think her eyes look prettier this way. It makes her look less innocent and more… I don't know, sexy? I know it's weird to think of my friend that way but it's not as if I have never noticed she's a girl – a really pretty girl. I bet any guy would be jealous of me if I'd date her (especially Sasuke, who would probably kill me).

Suddenly, from the corner of my eye, I see a pink head coming into the classroom. Hinata continues talking, but I'm not paying attention to her at all.

It's Sakura. I didn't see her during the History class; I guess she skipped it. I start to wonder why, but then I see someone else come into the classroom. It's Sasuke. And, now that I remember, I think he skipped last class, too. Is it possible that they skipped class _together_? If they did, then what did they do…?

"Naruto?" Hinata brings me back to Earth. "You okay?"

"Yeah, why?" I grin widely at her. From the corner of my eye, I see Sakura watching us.

"Because you look weird," Hinata explains, raising an eyebrow. "You seem distracted."

"Well, yeah, I am distracted. With your eyes. I think that eyeliner suits you perfectly," I answer, and Hinata's cheeks get pinker as she looks away.

"T-Thanks, I guess…"

I smile at her shyness. This girl is never gonna change. But then I take my eyes off her when I see Sasuke kissing Sakura's cheek briefly, in a _way_ too intimate way. She blushes and holds her hand against her kissed cheek as she watches him walk away.

Okay, what _the hell_ was that?

But then Hinata starts talking to me again, and I turn to her. From the corner of my eye, I watch as Sakura shakes her head and starts walking towards us.

Wait, _what_? Why is she walking towards us? And why does she look so nervous? And – _shit,_ am I imagining stuff or it really looks like she's going to talk to Hinata?

Hinata frowns at my expression, and then follows my confused gaze. She gasps softly when she sees Sakura and says, "Oh! S-Sakura. Hi."

"Hi," Sakura says, smiling nervously. "Um, Hinata, can I talk to you?"

I turn to Hinata. She raises an eyebrow but nods. "S-Sure. Let's go to my seat."

"No, don't bother," I say, standing up from my seat. Sakura looks at me, surprised, but I focus on talking to Hinata with a sincere smile on my face. "I was about to leave, anyways." And then, without Sakura noticing, I wink at Hinata. "Bye!"

I start to walk away. Man, is it possible that they're finally making up? I really hope so. I know how sad Hinata is about their broken friendship, and I can see Sakura is sad, too. If they become best friends again, they'll be happier, and I suppose that if they are happy I am happy.

I glance at Sakura for an instant. She smiles at me, and the meaning of that smile makes me smile as I exit the classroom.

_(Thank you, Naruto.)_

* * *

School is over. I'm waiting for Sakura outside of our homeroom classroom. Surprisingly, I finished my English essay before her, and I decided to wait for her until she finishes hers, because I need to talk to her about what happened – or, actually, what was _about to happen_ – in Hinata's bathroom three days ago.

I blush madly just by remembering that night. Sometimes I tell myself that I'm an idiot and that I shouldn't have told her to stop. But it was the right thing to do, and if something like that happens again I would definitely do the same thing.

The door opens and Sakura steps out of the classroom. She looks at me and the smile on her face disappears. I look at her, confused, but then another person comes out. It's Sasuke. The door closes behind them and they stand there, in front of me, and I look down at their interviewed hands.

What is going _on_ here? Since when do they kiss each other's cheeks and hold hands?

"Naruto," Sakura starts, clearly nervous. "Um, it's good to see you here. I actually need to talk to you."

I look at her, and then at Sasuke. I know the expression on his face. He's looking away and his lips are pressed tightly. He's uncomfortable. I also notice he's holding Sakura's hand tighter.

Something's not right.

"Uh," I finally say. "Yeah, we definitely need to talk. And I mean _we_ by just you and me, _Sakura_," I add as I glare at Sasuke. He glares back.

Sakura gives me a confused look, but then nods and tells Sasuke, "Could you please give us some minutes, Sasuke?" He turns to her, and she adds with a small smile, "Please?"

I'm surprised when Sasuke's face softens and he nods. He lets go of Sakura's hand, gives me a last warning look and walks away.

When Sasuke leaves, Sakura and I are completely alone. She speaks first. "Sasuke and I are dating now."

Her being so straightforward doesn't surprise me. "I could see that," I reply, expressionless. "When did it happen?"

"Today," she says. "We skipped History and… talked." She blushes and looks away.

"Are you sure you_ only_ talked?" I ask, and Sakura looks shocked for an instant. I laugh. "Just kidding. I really don't need to know the details."

She sighs. "So are you, like, angry?"

"No," I confess, shrugging. "I'm just… surprised. I thought he was head over heels for Hinata."

"I thought so, too. But…" She smiles. "It's a long story. You may want to hear his version instead of mine."

"Yeah, it'd be better to hear his version. You girls don't know how to resume a story. Guys only need a sentence to explain it all."

Sakura giggles. "I'm glad you're not angry."

_No, I'm not angry_, I think. _I'm just broken. Sad. Depressed. Hopeless. But not angry. Especially not with you._

But instead I force myself to smile and say, "Of course I'm not. I only want you to be happy, Sakura. Besides, the bastard looks _so cute_ in love!" We laugh together, and the beautiful sound of her laughter makes me feel as happy as I wanna look. "No, but seriously, you guys are my best friends; your happiness is my happiness. And I'll find a girl for me; don't worry."

Sakura smiles and throws her arms around my neck. I hug her back, wishing we could stay like this forever. "Thanks, Naruto," she says. "You don't know how much this means to me."

She doesn't know how much it means to me, either.

"Hey, Sakura?" I say, still hugging her. "What happened this Saturday, during Hinata's birthday party, in the bathroom… We gotta forget it."

She suddenly lets go of me and takes a step back to look right into my eyes. "Yeah, we definitely got to forget it, Naruto," she says. "We were about to make a huge mistake, but nothing really happened. So just…" She ran a hand through her hair. "Just promise me no one will know about this, okay?"

"Know about what, Sakura?" I ask and smile at her. She smiles back and hugs me once again.

"Guess everything is back to normal," she says as she lets go of me. "Sasuke and I are happy, Hinata and I are best friends again, and you and I are on good terms."

"Yeah," I agree, smiling. "Everything's back to normal."

She is right. Everything's like before, except for two little things. One: Sasuke likes Sakura and they're together. And two: I'm more miserable than before.

* * *

I watched as Sasuke walked Sakura home. Their interviewed hands were like the sun: if I watched them directly, they burned my eyes. I have to admit they looked perfect for each other, though. She looked literally like the happiest girl on the planet, and he was actually _smiling_ – not smirking – _smiling,_ and that is a really big deal if we're talking about Sasuke Uchiha.

They are happy. Seeing my friends happy should make me happy. So why am I feeling so empty?

I didn't feel like going home right after school. Mostly, because _they_ would be walking right in front of me, holding hands and laughing at how beautiful their life is now (Sakura and I are neighbors, remember?). But I also needed a time to think.

The most relaxing place I know is the park located five blocks away from my school. I wanted to go there, sit on a bench and get lost in my thoughts, but it was probably crowded by kids at that hour. So I decided to go to the second most relaxing place I know: the ramen restaurant.

Five bowls of pork ramen later, I was satisfied and ready to leave. The sky above me was dark and crowded by stars. Believing the kids should've left home already, I headed to the park.

When I got there, there were no children, indeed. I sat on a bench and breathed the fresh nocturne breeze. The peace around me made my head clear for some glorious moments, in which I forgot about everything: about Sakura, about Sasuke, even about that stressful thing I didn't understand in Math class. It was as if I had escaped from reality for a few minutes.

And of course, so much calmness soon made me feel sleepy. I have just closed my eyes when a shadow casts over me, blocking the moonlight, and I hear a familiar voice saying: "You fall asleep anywhere, don't you, lazy ass?"

I snap my eyes open and look up at the person standing in front of me. It's Sasuke. He's still wearing the school's uniform, with his arms folded over his chest and a smirk on his face. "What are you doing here?" I instantly ask.

He sighs softly and sits on the bench beside me. "My house is just a couple blocks away. If I cross the park, I'll get there sooner."

"A short cut, huh?" I say, nodding.

Sasuke sighs again and rests his elbows on the bench's back. "Yeah. Why are _you_ here? Still wearing the school's uniform, by the way."

I lean forward, resting my elbows against my knees, not looking him in the eye, and shrug. "Didn't feel like going home after school. I went to eat some ramen and then came here to relax. And you're still wearing the uniform, too."

"I just came back from Sakura's house," he said casually. "I met her brother. It's unbelievable that they're siblings."

"I know." I couldn't help but smile. "It's so weird. She's so cheerful and friendly, while he's cold like an iceberg."

We stay quiet for a moment. I'm sure Sasuke doesn't care, but to me this is a very awkward silence. I'm talking with the guy who happens to be the one who stole the girl I like away from me _and_ my best friend. Just how weird is this?

"So… you're dating Sakura, huh?" I instantly wish I hadn't said that. It's not good for me to be talking about her right now.

"Yeah," Sasuke replies.

"What's the story?" I seriously need to shut up. "Sakura told me I'd prefer to hear your version instead of hers." But I obviously cannot.

"Well," he sighs. "In Hinata's party, I realized that Sakura isn't the selfish, immature and shallow fangirl I thought she was. She doesn't have just a silly little crush on me; she really kind of loves me. And I think I love her too. I love her smile and she's, you know, pretty, I guess."

"But weren't you in love with Hinata?" I ask.

"Let me finish, moron." He rolles his eyes. "Yes, I thought I loved Hinata. I thought she was perfect, too, but I was obviously wrong in both things. Besides, I confess that I've always liked Sakura. But she's so _annoying_." He shakes his head, but smiles. "I thought my type of girls was calmed and innocent-looking, like Hinata. But I guess I prefer high-tempered, pink-haired ones."

"Yeah, you prefer someone who is nothing like you. But you know what they say," I shrug, "opposites attract."

Sasuke chuckles. "I guess so. She's really everything I'm not. Maybe that's what I like the most about her."

I think about what he said for a moment. Sakura and I aren't exactly different. We're both loud, extrovert and cheerful. We aren't opposites. Maybe that's why she doesn't like me. Maybe she's looking for someone completely different from her – someone like Sasuke. But then, why do I like her? I'm supposed to like someone quiet and shy… someone like Hinata, right?

Crap, I'm back with the I-should-like-Hinata subject. What is wrong with me?

"Naruto," Sasuke says, taking me back to Earth. "Sakura told me you weren't angry. I know you aren't, and I'm glad. But I also know you're not as happy as you tried to look in front of Sakura. I know you too well." He leans forward to rest his elbows on his knees, in the same position as me. "Tell me, am I right?"

I turn my head and stare at him for a long moment until I decide it's useless to lie to him. So I finally nod. What can he do now, anyways? Hit me? Stop talking to me? It isn't as if I am planning to take her away from him or anything. I know they love each other, so I'd never do that. Besides, in Sakura's eyes, compared to Sasuke I'm next to nothing.

Sasuke looks up at the sky and smirks. "Remember when you said you were going to confess to Sakura because you wanted me to look like a complete loser?" I nod, wondering what the point is of such random question. Sasuke chuckles and asks, "Well, Naruto, who looks like a complete loser now?"

I grin at him. "Alright, you win this time, bastard. But next time you'll be the loser. Believe it!"

Sasuke laughs again. He stands up and says, "I'm leaving. You should leave too, Naruto. Your mom must be really worried, and I've met her. I bet she has the entire police station looking for you right now."

I shrug. "I called her a couple hours ago. She knows I'll be back before nine."

"But still, you should leave." He turns around and starts walking away. "You'll fall asleep again and someone's going to steal your backpack or something, moron."

I smile as I watch him walk away, noticing he's kind of changed. He's not so much of a jerk as before. Maybe dating Sakura will make him a good.

* * *

_Baby, I thought that we had something. Compared to him, I'm next to nothing._

* * *

Notes: Just **REVIEW**, it's gonna be okay, da da doo-doom! Just **REVIEW**, spin that record, babe, da da doo-doom! ~


	13. Chapter Twelve

_**Uneasy Hearts Weigh The Most**_

_Chapter twelve_

_(Hinata's POV)_

* * *

"NARUTO!"

Everybody flinch at the girly scream coming from the front of the classroom. I filch too, but not because of the loudness of her voice, but because of the name she has said.

Naruto. That word makes me forget about everything and everyone and _everywhere_.

The whole class turns to the screaming girl standing beside her desk. Like everyone else, she is wearing an apron stained with multicolored paint, because we are at art class and today we're doing a painting that describes what we're thinking about today. I haven't even started my painting, because I seriously have no idea of how to interpret my thoughts.

But Sakura, who is sitting beside me, does know; she's even about to finish. Her painting is kind of predictable (a black-haired boy holding hands with a pink-haired girl and a lot of hearts and smiley faces around them) but I think it's very cute and sweet.

I wish I could draw what I'm actually thinking about right now, just like Sakura, without fearing everyone could find out about my biggest secret.

"Look what you've done, idiot!" the girl who screamed Naruto's name continues, pointing at something black lying on her desk. She sounds really angry, and I bet she looks angry, too (her back is facing me, so I can't see her face).

Suddenly, Naruto appears from under her desk, and my breath gets caught in my throat. He is holding a small bucket of black paint on his hands, has a sheepish grin on his face…

And, like most of the times I see him, he looks gorgeous and sweet and just _perfect_.

"Sorry," he says to the girl. "It was totally accidental."

"But you've ruined my painting! I had just finished!" the girl insists, glancing at the black thing on her desk. "It was such a beautiful job… and now you and your stupid clumsiness have completely ruined it!"

"Hey, Ayanami," Sakura says at loud, and the girl turns to her. "Knock it off, okay? Naruto just said it was an accident. Just accept his apologies."

"But – But my piece of _art_!" Ayanami whines (God, I had completely forgotten her name), pointing the thing on her desk which I realize is actually a piece of paper covered by a big, ugly stain of black paint, probably courtesy of Naruto.

"Ayanami, I'm sorry!" Naruto exclaims. "Look, if it makes you feel better, you can ruin my painting too. Also, I'll give you my lunch, alright? Just… just… forgive me, okay?"

Oh Jesus, just how _cute_ is that?

Ayanami stares at him for a moment, speechless, and then her body relaxes and when she talks again, I think she's smiling. "No, it's fine, Naruto. Don't be stupid; I will not ruin your painting. It's already ugly, anyways."

Naruto grins and his pretty blue eyes sparkle. "That means you forgive me?"

Ayanami nods and sits back on her seat. Naruto thanks her and goes back to his own seat with a smile on his face. I bet he's glad he won't have to give away his lunch today.

Ah, seriously, it's so incredible that Naruto is still single. He is such a sweet guy. I'm not saying I want another girl to own him or something, because I totally want him for myself. But it's just that, well, it seems impossible that no one sees Naruto the same way I do.

But, now that I think about it, maybe other girls like him too, but they keep it to themselves, just like I do…

Ugh, the simple idea of someone trying to steal him away from me makes me wanna punch something. He's _mine_, only _mine_… even though I'm the only one who knows that and he has no idea of it.

Wow, I wonder what Naruto would say if he discovered I call him mine. He'd probably call me a creepy obsessed stalker, and it'd be so embarrassing for me. But anyways, he'll never discover that because I'll never tell him about my true feelings, because that'd totally ruin any kind of bond we have right now, and that'd be the most depressing thing that could happen to me.

Naruto would never love me back. I'm just a friend for him; nothing more, nothing less. If I confess I love him in a romantic, he'll never talk to me again. I'm completely sure of that.

Well, not completely.

Actually, I'm not sure at all, because I've never even tried it.

_What if it doesn't destroy our friendship? What if it actually makes it stronger? What if he feels the same way…? _

"Yeah, that'd happen," I murmur to myself, smiling bitterly.

"What did you say?" Sakura asks lowly, watching me curiously.

I turn to her, slightly blushed. "Oh, nothing, Sakura."

"No, you did say something. I'm not deaf, you know? You said something like: yeah, that'd happen. What did it mean?"

Oh, damn you Sakura, for having such a good hearing and being too curious for your own good.

"I was just talking to myself," I reply, looking down at my desk. "It's none of your business."

"Oh, my God, since when do you keep important things for yourself, Hinata?" She sighs. "Geez, you've really changed, haven't you?"

"What makes you think it was an important thing? It was nothing, Sakura; I was just wondering about the science project coming this week." I turn to her, frowning. "And why do you think I've changed? I'm still the same freaking person I've always been."

"No, you're not. You're a new Hinata… in a good way. For example, you've just said _freaking_. You didn't even said crap before, Hinata. You're becoming more… mature." Sakura grins and elbows me softly a couple times.

I roll my eyes. Just because I said _freaking_? I've always said _freaking_ (and _crap,_ and _shit_, and many more curses) before. Or well, at least in my head. I don't think I used to say them at loud… much. Well, actually, I think Sakura is right: I didn't use to curse so constantly before.

Wow, am I really maturing?

"Perhaps you're right," I accept, smirking at my best friend. "But, hey, I had to do it someday, right? I'm about to finish high school; it's time for it."

"Yeah, and I'm proud of you." Sakura turns to her painting and continues coloring the pink hearts around her and Sasuke. "So, what is the science project about? I don't think I remember it."

"What science project?"

She turns to me, looking slightly confused. "The one you've just told me about. You said you had been talking to yourself about that."

Oh, crap. I've totally forgotten about it. I had been too glad I'm maturing to remember the lie I told her.

Sakura frowns. "Or was that a lie, Hinata?"

I sigh, defeated, because there's no point in hiding it. "Yes."

"What had you really been thinking about, Hinata?"

I stare at her in silence. Maybe… maybe it would be okay if I tell her. I mean, she's my best friend and I can trust her, right? Besides, maybe she could give me an advice. "Okay," I sigh. "I'll tell you. I've been thinking about, um, Naruto."

Sakura's face darkens a little bit, but she smiles slightly. "Oh, that's _so_ unpredictable." I sigh in response, and a few moments later, she continues. "Are you still in love with him?"

"I guess so," I confess, staring at the window behind her. "But, you know what? It's a helpless case, because I'll never dare to tell him about my feelings toward him, and even if I dared, he'd totally reject me."

"Why do you think that? Maybe you have no idea. Maybe if you were less pessimistic about it…"

"It's obvious, Sakura," I say, now glaring at the floor. "I mean, I know he'd want anyone but me. I'm just his friend. And it's just like it used to be with Sasuke and me. Like, I'm Sasuke and Naruto is me: he likes me just as a friend, and not loving me back would hurt him a lot. The best thing I can do is to keep it to myself and hope I'd forget him someday."

I look up at Sakura. She doesn't stare at me with pity, or sadness, or something like that. She actually seems angry. "Dammit, Hinata, why are you so stupid at love when you're so smart at school stuff?" she asks. "Naruto isn't like you, and you are not like Sasuke. Sasuke actually _dared _to confess, while you didn't. And I see the way Naruto looks at you. You guys aren't the same case Sasuke and you used to be. Don't fool yourself."

"Are you saying you think he might love me back?" I snort. "God, Sakura. I thought you were everything but naïve. I also thought you knew Naruto well. Can't you understand it? Even if I tell him what I really feel, he'll never love me back. NEVER!"

Sakura's angry expression drops and turns into a very, very serious and tense one. "Hinata…" she says lowly, but I decide to ignore her and go on.

"Besides, Naruto was _insanely_ in love with you. If he liked you, he'd never like me. You and I are very different, and that shows I'm definitely not his type."

"Hinata…" Sakura repeats, and edge of warning in her voice, but I ignore her again.

"I love Naruto in a way that makes my heart both ache and get excited when I see him. It gets excited because he's the closest to perfection I've ever seen. And it aches because I know we're just friends and he'll never be mine." God, I'm on the verge of tears now, but I don't care; I have to tell this to someone. "It's so weird, Sakura; but, somehow, I feel like it's completely normal. Maybe… maybe I've just got used to it. That'd be obvious because I've been feeling this towards him since we were kids."

"Hinata…!" Sakura repeats, but, again, I ignore her.

"And you know what? No matter what you say, or what anyone says, because I won't tell this to him. That'd completely destroy our friendship. Only to have him as a friend is enough for me, and I want it to _stay_ this way. So, no matter what you tell me, I will _never_-"

"_Hinata_!" Sakura exclaims, and her alarmed expression shuts me up immediately. "Alright, I get it; you'll never tell him this, but… well, that doesn't matter anymore, anyways."

"What do you mean?" I ask, confused.

"He already knows about all you've said, Hinata."

My eyes widen and panic makes all my muscles get tense. "What? How – how – _how_ do you know it? Oh, my God, who told him?"

"_You_ told him," Sakura says matter-of-factly, and I'm about to ask what the hell does she mean, but then she glances at something behind me with a worried expression.

I've always been a smart girl; a very, very smart girl, according to my school records. So, even before I turn around, I know who the person standing behind me is. Still, my eyes widen as they've never widened before and my heart races as it has never raced before when I confirm my guesses.

Naruto looks confused, and pale, and, most of all, shocked, and the only thing he manages to say is: "Holy _shit_."

* * *

Exhaling the most exhausted sigh of my life, I throw myself on my bed and stare at the white, clean ceiling above me. I'm finally home, after the longest day of my life, and I suppose I should feel relaxed and glad, but the feeling of bitterness hasn't gone away since art class.

Images of Naruto's face standing behind me after he heard about my real feelings towards him come to my head, but I push them away. I'm so not in the mood for that. Actually, I think I'll never be on the mood for that ever again.

But I can't help but rant in my head about what happened today. It's been a really crappy day, if I have to resume it. First, my crush finds out I'm insanely in love with him and runs away from me without saying more than two words; second, my art teacher scolds me for not finishing my job; third, it starts to rain while I'm waiting for my Dad to pick me up after school and get wet because I didn't bring an umbrella; and fourth, I might have caught a cold.

Fuck. My. Life.

But forget about the last three reasons, the important one is the first. Naruto found out I'm in love with him and now our friendship is officially over.

Fuck. My. Life. One hundred times more.

I sigh again, maybe for the thousandth time in the day, when I realize that tomorrow's probably going to be even crappier. I have to come up with a plan to avoid school forever; maybe if I actually caught a cold I can find a way to make it even worse and be sick forever and never get out of my house again.

Well, no, that's a pretty drastic plan. And I don't like being sick.

But I can't think of another plan. The only other choice I have is to go to school tomorrow, be brave and face Naruto. But I obviously can't do that. Not because I don't want to, but because I just _can't_. I mean, what the hell am I going to tell him? Something like: _Hey Naruto; I love you, but I know you don't love me back, so let's just forget this? _No, of course I can't say that. I really want him to forget it, but that's impossible. Neither of us will forget what happened today, no matter what we do. I can't ask him to ignore my feelings and continue being my friend as if nothing had happened. Naruto and I will never be friends again, and even if we tried to, it would never work because things between us have drastically changed.

God, I'm so helpless.

I hear my cell phone – which is laying on my night table – vibrate, and I glance at it. It's probably Sakura again. She's been trying to contact me since art class finished, but I've been ignoring her, because she obviously wants to know how I'm doing, and I don't feel like talking about what I'm feeling right now. I've never been the kind of person that likes to talk about her feelings when she's feeling sad; I prefer to keep it to myself.

The cell phone stops vibrating and, just for curiosity, I sit up and take it. I check out my messages, and I see there are about twenty one from Sakura and thirty more from other friends. So everyone knows about it now, huh? Well, I don't think Sakura or Naruto have been the ones who told them; Sakura probably told only Sasuke about it, and Naruto… well, judging by the expression he had when I last saw him, I think he really doesn't feel like telling someone about it. So people probably found out because of the classmates in art class who noticed what happened.

How humiliating. Everyone knows about my pathetic situation and they probably feel pity for me. And I hate people's pity.

I sigh – again. I'm so tired of sighing. And I'm so tired that my sighs sound so… sad. It makes me want to sigh some more.

I pull off my covers and slid under them, wishing I could stay here, in my bed, forever. But that's impossible. I need to get up and eat and stuff if I want to stay alive. But, actually, I think I really don't want to stay alive anymore…

Groaning, I close my eyes tightly and push those suicidal thoughts away. Gosh, what am I doing? Thinking about death just because a boy doesn't love me back? That's so pathetic. _I_ am so pathetic.

I open my eyes and frown. So what if Naruto found out I love him and now our friendship is ruined, huh? He isn't the only friend I have. He isn't the only boy on the planet. And he definitely isn't the only man I'll fall in love with in my life. I have to move on, to meet more people, and to forget about my past. The past is meant to die. My past has to die right now. I have a future and, most important, a present.

Screw Naruto. Screw love. Screw _everything_. If he doesn't want me, then he misses it. I'm a nice and intelligent girl. I'm too much for anyone.

And I have a life I must live.

* * *

_I am a million fucking bucks. I am a thousand fucking fucks!_

* * *

Notes: OMG; NaraHina drama! D: And - holy _shit_, the end is _so_ freaking close! Well, maybe not _that_ close, but still pretty close, because the song is in its last verses and if the song ends then the story ends too! Unless I decide to make an epilogue, of course; that'll make it a lil' bit longer, but - OHMYGAWD, AN EPILOGUE? What a great idea! :D Ahem, anyways, don't worry about it, just review! :)


	14. Chapter Thirteen

__

**_Uneasy hearts weigh the most_**

_Chapter thrirteen_

_(Naruto's POV)_

* * *

Now that was close. I made a fool of myself in front of the class by spilling black paint all over Ayanami's painting, and she looked like she was going to kill me, but, after I told her she could ruin my painting too and keep my lunch, Ayanami calmed down and accepted my apologies. Also, thank God, she declined and I got to keep my lunch and my painting intact.

Yay me!

I go back to my seat and use the paint I didn't spill on Ayanami´s "piece of art" to color the clothes of the ninja I had drawn. I think it looks totally cool, in spite of what others think. Besides, it's so original; I'm the only one who drew a ninja!

As I do my work, I suddenly remember how Sakura defended me in front of Ayanami. She sounded so bad-ass and cool… Sasuke is such a lucky bastard. But, no, I don't like her anymore. I mean, she's cute and everything, but, you know, when you realize someone will never feel the same way towards you, you kind of give up… eventually. And I already gave up, as the mature, smart man I am.

For serious.

But still, I think I have to thank her for defending me. I look up from my painting and look around the classroom, in search of a pink head. I find her, but then my attention turns to the girl beside her.

Ah, Hinata. I suddenly think of how good I feel when I talk to her. And how perfect she'd be for me. And how she's ten thousand times better than any other girl I've ever met, including Sakura. And how pretty she looks when she blushes. And how soft her lips would feel against mine…

I smile to myself. This is so weird, thinking of her in that way. But… somehow, it doesn't seem so senseless to me. I mean, who wouldn't fantasize of dating a girl like her?

But that isn't the point. I gotta thank Sakura for defending me before, so I drop my paintbrush and stand up.

As I approach them, I see that Hinata is talking energetically to Sakura, and Sakura is just listening attentively. I smile slightly, because it's such a weird sight. Hinata is usually the one who listens to the talkative Sakura, not the other way around. I wonder what she's talking about…

When I'm close enough to hear them, Hinata is saying: "Can't you understand it? Even if I tell him what I really feel, he'll never love me back. NEVER!"

Whoa. Are you serious? Hinata loves someone? And the guy doesn't love her back? He's an idiot. A very lucky idiot – even luckier than Sasuke, and that's saying a lot. Who wouldn't love a girl like her back?

He must be gay.

Sakura glances briefly – I barely notice – at me and then back at Hinata, and her serious, kind of angry expression turns even more serious… and tense. "Hinata…" she says softly.

I open my mouth to say something, to make Hinata notice I'm here too, but she speaks before me and what she says makes my body froze.

"Besides, Naruto was insanely in love with you. If he liked you, he'd never like me. You and I are very different, and that shows I'm definitely not his type."

Okay… what? I remember I cleaned my ears last night, but I should've missed a spot, because I'm totally not hearing right. Hinata couldn't have said what I just heard. She couldn't have said that I… that I'm never going to love her back. She couldn't, could she?

Could she?

"Hinata…" Sakura repeats, after another quick glance at me that Hinata didn't notice, and the warning in her voice is obvious. She wants Hinata to shut up, because I'm right behind her, listening, and she's talking about how much she loves me, something I didn't now – until now.

Oh God, is this really happening?

But Hinata doesn't seem to catch the hint, and she continues with her speech.

"I love Naruto in a way that makes my heart both ache and get excited when I see him. It gets excited because he's the closest to perfection I've ever seen. And it aches because I know we're just friends and he'll never be mine," Hinata says, and all I can think of besides Holy crap, is How is it possible that someone like her feels that way towards someone like me?

I've never even imagined something like this would happen someday, but seems like some impossible things aren't as impossible as I think they are.

"It's so weird, Sakura; but, somehow, I feel like it's completely normal. Maybe… maybe I've just got used to it. That'd be obvious because I've been feeling this way towards him since we were kids."

Since _what_?

"Hinata…!" Sakura says, and this time the shut-up-immediately warning is so obvious even a baby could've noticed it.

But maybe Hinata is ignoring it on purpose. Maybe she doesn't care anymore if I am or am not behind her, listening to every word she's saying. Maybe she just wants to let it out, just as I used to want to let my feelings for Sakura out.

"And you know what? No matter what you say, or what anyone says, because I won't tell this to him. That'd completely destroy our friendship. Only to have him as a friend is enough for me, and I want it to stay this way."

Well, too late, my friend.

"So, no matter what you tell me, I will never-"

"Hinata!" Sakura exclaims, interrupting her. "Alright, I get it; you'll never tell him this, but… well, that doesn't matter anymore, anyways."

"What do you mean?" Hinata asks, sounding very confused.

"He already knows about all you've said, Hinata," Sakura says tiredly, and she gives me the third quick glance of the day.

Hinata panics. "What? How – how – how do you know it? Oh, my God, who told him?"

_"You_ told him," Sakura says calmly, and this time the glance she gives me is longer, and the worried look on her face seems to say something like, Please be good to her.

Slowly – as if everything was moving in slow motion – Hinata turns her head and looks at me with wide, wild eyes, as if she doesn't want to believe I am here.

But I am. And I listened. And I know it all. And I'm shocked.

"Holy shit," is all I manage to say before I turn around and run away, exactly as the bell rings.

* * *

The rest of the day was a crap. I was in shock for almost four hours. I moved and spoke and breathed like a robot. The only thing I could do was thinking – thinking, thinking and thinking, and only about Hinata. My thoughts were something like this:

_Hinata. Oh, Hinata... She is in love with me. She's always been. And I never realized. And I'm the idiot who will never love her back. And I called myself gay! And… and I ran away from her. Why did I run away from her? But, hey, what else could I've done? What else could I've said?_

And then I sort of kept repeating that in my head for fifty or sixty more times.

The only thing question I wasn't allowed to ask myself was: What do I feel? Because… well, that question is evil and it makes me really confused. I don't know if I love her, but I do like her a lot. I like her very, very much, probably as something more than a friend... Yeah, definitely as something more than a friend. Because you don't fantasize about kissing someone who is just a friend for you, do you?

Okay, I do like her. A lot. And, eventually, I could love her, right?

Right. So now what? Find her and tell her I kind of feel the same way towards her? That sounds like the best thing I could do. But… but I can't do that, because I can't face her, because I'm a coward – a very lucky and idiotic coward.

I think I hate myself.

Sasuke thinks I hate myself too. When I told him during the lunch about everything that happened with Hinata, he asked me to describe in one sentence what I feel. I said, "I feel that I'm an idiot who doesn't deserve her."

He got to the conclusion that I have a low self-esteem.

"Thanks for the piece of information, doctor," I told him sarcastically, and then turned around to walk away.

"Naruto, wait," Sasuke said behind me, and I stopped and turned around.

"What? The session wasn't for free?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Knock that off, moron. I wasn't finished with my conclusion."

I crossed my arms over my chest. "I'm listening."

"You've a low self-esteem because you just realized how stupid you really are."

I laughed. "Are you serious?"

"Yes, I'm serious. You're a stupid, Naruto. And I don't mean stupid in the doesn't-know-what's-two-plus-two way. I mean stupid in the can't-see-what's-right-in-front-of-him way."

"I can see what's in front of me!" I replied defensively. "Right now, for example, there's a very arrogant bastard."

"Oh, really?" He raised an eyebrow. "Then why couldn't you notice what everyone else noticed: that Hinata has always been head over heels for you?"

I frowned. "Everyone else knew it?"

"Well, not exactly. I only knew it because, you know, I'm very smart." He smirked, but his joke didn't seem funny to me at that moment. "And Sakura noticed, too," he continued. "She's very smart too, but she just suspected it at first. She only realized it was true until Hinata told her."

"And what about the other people?" I asked.

Sasuke shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe some did, maybe some didn't. It depends on how observant they are. But my point is, that you finally realized that you were too dumb to notice how she felt towards you, and now that you know it, you feel like shit."

He couldn't have described it better.

"Then what do I do, doctor?" I asked, sincerely curious. Maybe he was right; maybe I'm too distracted with other less important things to notice what's right in front of me. For example, I've never realized before, but Sasuke is a good psychoanalyst.

Sasuke sighed, as if I had asked the most stupid question in the world. "Isn't it obvious? Talk to her. Tell her what you feel. Fix things up, dude."

It was a good advice: logic, simple and straight. It was also easy to say, but harder to do, because, as I said before, I'm a coward and I don't have the guts to face her, and if I can't even face her, how am I supposed to "fix things up"?

God, my life is such a big, smelly crap.

* * *

The next day in the morning, I wait for Hinata at the entrance of the school. I actually woke up early – as early as I have ever woken up, I think – because I really need to talk to her as soon as I see her.

I didn't plan to do things this way. I made my plan last night, at midnight, when I couldn't sleep, as I rolled on my bed trying to just fall asleep and stop thinking about Hinata. I thought and thought, and then the answer finally hit me: I just had to do it. I know, it sounds stupid, but that's the perfect answer. If I care so much about her, if I like her so much, then what am I waiting for? I just have to ask her if I can talk to her and tell her everything I've thinking of.

DUH!

So, yeah, here I am, waiting for the girl I plan to confess to. Students are passing by, completely ignoring the nervous-looking blond dude standing awkwardly beside the entrance. I watch them, searching for a pretty girl with dark-blue hair and pale eyes among them. My heart is beating furiously against my chest, and the blood running through my veins feels like fire. I bet my face is as red as a freaking tomato, too.

But when I finally spot the person I want to talk to, instead of feeling like fire, my blood feels like ice, and my heart freezes for three seconds before continuing fluttering.

Okay, it's now or never. I can do this. I totally can do this. It's going to be alright…

She sees me. And, oh, God, I swear my soul has dropped to my feet. She looks as if she's seen a freaking ghost. Am I a ghost to her? Do I scare her? Do I make her heart ache?

But that holy-shit-is-that-really-there expression drastically disappears, and now she looks calmed and cold and indifferent. Finally, she looks away and continues walking as if nothing have happened – as if she hasn't just seen the guy she's in love with.

Hinata walks past me as if I'm freaking invisible and all I can think is: _What the hell?_

* * *

That day during lunch, I tell Sasuke about Hinata ignoring me and ask him what he thinks. I can't believe I'm actually saying this, but he has kind of become my personal psychologist. But hey, if Hinata is in love with me, then anything is possible, right?

"Well, what did you want, idiot?" Sasuke says. "Did you expect her to run into your arms as soon as she saw you? Men are the ones supposed to convince and woo women, not the other way around. You have to actually talk to her and ask her – beg her, even – to listen to what you have to say."

"Yeah, but… but she won't even look at me, dude," I reply. "I mean, she is ignoring me in the I-don't-want-to-look-at-your-ugly-face way! As if – as if she hates me! Sasuke, do you think she hates me? I don't want her to hate me, I really don't…!"

"Stop being a baby," Sasuke says, rolling his eyes. "You just need to talk to her. At least try it, okay? Maybe she's waiting for you to take the initiative."

"You really think so?" I ask hopefully.

"It's just a probability, moron. I'm not a freaking fortune-teller."

Suddenly, Sasuke looks at something behind me, and that stupid, dreamy expression he has when he sees Sakura appears on his face. I turn around and, of course, Sakura is there, walking towards us with a bright smile on her face.

She kisses Sasuke on the cheek and offers me a sad smile. "Hey," she says.

"Hey," I reply, smiling sadly, too.

"How are you?"

I shrug. "I've been better."

Sakura sighs. "You haven't talk to her?" she asks softly.

I shake my head. And suddenly, an idea pops into my mind and I ask, "Has she said something about me to you?"

"No," Sakura says. "Actually, she's been acting as if what happened yesterday had never happened."

So she noticed too, huh?

I nod. "Yeah, I noticed that. She's been ignoring me. Like, she doesn't even look at me. And she looks so cold and calmed… so out of character. And I want to talk to her, but I don't know if she'll want to listen to me. Sasuke says I just have to try it, and that maybe she's just waiting for me to take the initiative."

"It's a good advice," she smiles at Sasuke and the turns to me, "but maybe she doesn't want to talk to you yet. Maybe you should give her some more time."

"How much time are we talking about?" I ask.

Sakura shrugs. "Only a week or two. Not too much."

Only a week or two? That's too long!

"Or you can just take the risk," Sasuke says.

"But it depends on how much you care about her," Sakura adds.

"How much do you care about her, Naruto?" Sasuke asks.

"Do you… love her?" Sakura asks.

"God, you guys sound like my conscience!" I exclaim, but I think about what they asked, staring at my feet.

Well, maybe I do love Hinata. Maybe I've always love her, but in the best-friend-ever way, I guess. She's a great friend and a good listener. I can trust her no matter what and she accepts me for who I am. She's always there for me. But I kind of broke her heart, and I don't want to let things stay like this. I want my Hinata back.

"I want to fix everything up," I finally say, "as soon as possible."

Sakura smiles at me. "Then you should take the risk," she says, and I can't believe how right she actually is.

* * *

When school's over, I wait for Hinata to exit the school. I stand there, in the same spot I was standing in the morning, but this time I'm not nervous. I actually feel pretty confident, which is awesome, because I feel confident maybe things will work out.

Students exit the school, and I watch them, waiting anxiously to see Hinata. Other female dark-blue heads distract me now and then, but I don't need more than two seconds to realize if she's or is not my Hinata, so I don't get too distracted.

Finally, I see her. She doesn't see me; she's too distracted talking cheerfully to another girl. She's smiling, and it makes something inside of me go very, very warm, and I feel like smiling too. She smiles in such a beautiful way; he pale eyes sparkle like stars and she gets a faint blush on her cheeks.

I swallow, trying not to get distracted. I've to focus. So I start heading towards her, repeating in my mind everything I've practiced to say to her. I get closer, and closer, and closer, and when I'm finally close enough to pat her shoulder, I take a deep breath and open my mouth to speak.

"Hinata," I say, and I see how her shoulders tense and her body freezes. The girl she's talking to looks at me, and then at Hinata, confused.

Hinata turns her head and looks at me over her shoulder. Her expression is unreadable and her lips are pressed together so tightly that they're turning white. She calmly looks into my eyes, and then she turns to the girl she had been talking to.

"Hey, I got to go," she tells her. "I'll see you tomorrow."

The girl nods and smiles uneasily, as if she's noticed the awkwardness between me and Hinata, and then says goodbye and walks away. When she's out of sight, Hinata suddenly sighs deeply and turns to face me. She looks tired, and confused, and also embarrassed.

"What do you want, Naruto?" she asks lowly. "Did you finally think of something else to say besides "holy shit"?"

I swallow. "I think so." I pause. "But, first of all, promise me you're going to listen to me."

She looks puzzled for a moment. "Of course I'm going to listen to you. Why wouldn't i?"

I shrug. "You've been ignoring me the whole day. I thought you wouldn't want to talk to me. That you hated me."

"I don't hate you," she says, shaking her head. "I can't hate you. Besides, it wouldn't be okay to hate you just because you don't love me back. And I haven't been ignoring you. You've been ignoring me. I just didn't talk to you because… well, what could I say?"

"It was actually the same with me, I just didn't know what to say to you," I say, and then we stay quiet for a moment, in which we don't look away from each other's eyes. I probably look calm, but inside I'm panicking. I've forgotten everything I had planned to say!

Luckily, she speaks first. "Listen, if you're going to ask me to don't stop being your friend even though I love you and you don't love me, I have to tell you that it won't work out. I've seen cases like this before; one is in love, the other is not, and they try to stay friends, but it never works out. It's like hiding my feelings for you and doing as if nothing ever happened, and I just can't do that."

"But I do love you," I say softly.

She didn't seem to hear me. "Besides, what am I going to do when you tell me about your new girlfriend or something? It's going to hurt me, but I'll have to hide it because-"

"But I do love you!" I exclaim, and I notice some heads turned to us at this, but I ignore them.

Hinata's eyes widen and she freezes. I grab her warm hands and take a step closer. "I love you too," I say, this time quietly, just for her to hear it.

I start to lean forward. Yes, I'm going to kiss her. Yes, I feel like I'm on top of the world. Yes, I'm nervous as hell.

But the kiss never happens. Hinata suddenly steps back and pulls her hands off my hold. I look at her, confused, and she looks… horrified. Are my kisses that much of unwanted? I wonder, kind of hurt. I open my mouth to ask what's wrong, but Hinata suddenly turns around and runs away.

I think she's doing this as a pay back. I did the same when I heard she loved me, too. So I think I actually deserve this. But I start follow her, anyways. I run behind her, as if I'm chasing after her, yelling her name, hoping she would stop and talk to me.

But she keeps running, as if she wants to escape from me. She makes her way among the crowd of students hanging around in front of the school's entrance. She keeps running when she crosses the street – the hugest mistake she could've ever done, I realize a second later.

Because a driver wasn't careful enough to slow down and the red car doesn't brake soon enough and Hinata freezes instead of running faster when she realizes the car is coming towards her and I know I'm not going to make it if I try to save her.

My sight gets blurry and I want to scream her name but I can't because my throat is too dry. I know she's gonna get hit and I don't want to see this.

So I just close my eyes and hope this is just a very, very ugly nightmare.

_____

* * *

_

_Your bitch is dead she was hit by a truck. What the fuck!_

* * *

Notes: Stupid document manager turned evil and didn't let me put this the way I wanted D: And - WOW, what a long chapter. :3 ANYWHOOOOO... got any comments for me? :)


	15. Chapter Fourteen

Notes: I am _SO_ sad. Well, not sad, just, you know, nostalgic. WE ARE _SO_ CLOSE TO THE END OF UHWTM! Just the epilogue and then _BOOM!_ The story _ends_! *Runs away crying.* It's so depressing, yet so awesome, because I FINALLY finished a story! :DDDD Or, should I say "The first part of a story…"?

YES, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THERE'LL BE A **SECOND PART**, A _**CONTINUATION**_! I don't know when I'm going to start it, but it'll be soon, so wait for it! :)

Disclaimer: Not mine!

* * *

**_Uneasy hearts weigh the most_**

_Chapter fourteen_

_(Naruto's POV)_

I'm in the hospital's waiting room, sitting on one of the uncomfortable plastic chairs, and I feel… blank.

Like, I know I should be worried – very, very worried – but… I'm not. I mean, I feel like I'm dreaming. Perhaps that's what I'm trying to make myself believe: that this is just terrible nightmare and that I'm going to wake up soon. But I know very well that this is not a nightmare, that this is real life, and that I'll never wake up from this, because I'm not sleeping.

Though I really wish I could be sleeping. It's a great relief when you wake up from a horrible nightmare and realize that everything's okay in real life, that it was all your imagination. But right now I know I won't feel that great relief, because I won't wake up, because this is real life and I'm living in a nightmare…

A nightmare in which Hinata has been hit by a car and is now hospitalized.

_Oh, God, I feel so… empty_, I think as I cover my face with my hands and rest my elbows on my knees. I need to see Hinata; I need to know if she's really all right. The nurses just told me that she just has a broken leg and that I just have to wait till she wakes up, but I'm tired of waiting and I'm dying to see her.

_At least she's still alive_, an optimistic voice says in my head. _At least she'll still be able to walk, when her leg heals. _I know that's true, that I should be glad and relieved, but another voice in my head, this one less optimistic, keeps repeating loudly: _But she broke her leg and it's your fault; if you hadn't chased after her, if you would've just left her alone and give her time to think, this wouldn't have happened. _

I sigh deeply, stupidly thinking that the pessimistic voice is right. Suddenly, I hear the door of the waiting room opening, and I look up to see Sakura and Sasuke entering the room, looking agitated.

"We came as soon as we could," Sakura says, breathlessly because of running. She sits on the chair beside me and puts a hand on my back, staring at me worriedly. "Is she okay?"

"Yeah, she just broke a leg," I assure her. "But… but it was my fault, Sakura. I was telling her how I really feel about her, and then I tried to kiss her, but she ran away and I started running after her. She was too distracted trying to get away from me, so she didn't pay attention when she crossed the street, and then the car didn't brake soon enough, and… and…" I cover my face with my hands again as I start to cry.

"Naruto…" Sakura murmurs and I know her too well: I know just by hearing her voice that's she's starting to cry too. She rubs my back gently and says, "It wasn't you entire fault. It was just… bad luck. But she's all right, so that doesn't matter anymore."

Sasuke finally takes a seat on the other chair beside me and listens attentively as I sniff and say, "I bet she'll hate me after this."

"Is that what you fear the most?" Sasuke asks, and I look up at him. He's frowning, and I think he looks annoyed, which has no sense. Shouldn't he be worried and sad about Hinata, just like Sakura and me? However, Sasuke is a weird guy; I should expect anything from him.

I lean back and wipe my cheeks with the back of my hand. "Yeah, I guess," I admit. "I feel so guilty. If I hadn't tried to kiss her she wouldn't have ran away and been knocked down by a car. She must be really angry with me right now. I bet she even stopped loving me." I smile bitterly.

Sasuke sighs deeply and continues looking annoyed. "Naruto, you really are an idiot."

I frown at him. "What did I do now?"

"Don't be so mean, Sasuke," Sakura said sternly. "Naruto is suffering a lot right now. You shouldn't be insulting him. What kind of friend are you?"

"Yeah, what kind of friend are you?" I support her.

Sasuke shakes his head. "I didn't mean it as an insult. I mean that you're an idiot because instead of feeling sorry for yourself you should be trying to think of a way to amend this."

"How can I amend this?" I ask, confused.

"I don't know." He shrugs. "Buy her flowers, balloons, chocolates or teddy bears, say you'll do her homework for an entire month, be her slave for two weeks… Anything to make her realize you're sorry."

"But I don't think he'll need to apologize," Sakura said. "I mean, I know Hinata very well. I know she's not the kind of person who blames people for things that randomly happen, especially not if the person is the boy she's in love with. Even if you were really guilty Naruto, she wouldn't be angry at you or hate you. She's too sweet for that."

I smile slightly, feeling kind of better. Sakura is right; Hinata is too sweet and kind to hate someone, even an idiot like me. "I hope you're right," I say, just as a nurse enters the waiting room.

"Are you kids Miss Hyuuga's friends?" she asks.

Sasuke, Sakura and I exchange looks. "Yeah," I finally say, standing up. "What happened?"

The nurse smiles at me. "She's finally woken up, and she wants to see you."

* * *

"Sakura, I'm serious, my pillow is okay," Hinata says, rolling her eyes and smiling at her best friend.

Sakura pats the white pillow behind Hinata's head and back a few more times before looking at her and smiling sheepishly. "Sorry. I just want you to feel better."

Hinata glances down at her right leg, which is put in a plaster cast. "I'll feel better when Sasuke finally finishes drawing on my plaster," she says jokingly.

Sasuke looks up from the plaster and smirks. "All right, all right, I'm done already. Your turn, Sakura." He stands up from the chair beside Hinata's hospital bed and gives the black pen he was drawing with to his girlfriend.

Sakura sits on the chair Sasuke just vacated and starts drawing on the plaster as her boyfriend and Hinata talk about how it feels like to have a broken bone. I watch the scene like a quiet ghost in the room, feeling nervous and anxious because I don't know what to do now. I wanted to see her and I'm really glad she's smiling and feeling well, but I feel too shy to talk to her. Besides, she barely notices me and she hasn't even talked to me. She's ignoring me.

Oh, God, what do I do? I have to amend the situation, as Sasuke said. I have to apologize and to beg for her forgiveness. I have to convince her that she shouldn't hate me.

Right, I know what to do first. I need privacy. Which means: Sasuke and Sakura have to get the hell outta here and leave Hinata and I alone. I can't talk to her openly if we have audience.

But I can't say it aloud. That would be too rude. Besides, what if Hinata refuses to be alone with me? They have to leave by their own, but I don't think they're planning to leave soon. They want to spend time with Hinata as much as I want.

Telepathic powers would be so useful right now. But I'm not gifted with supernatural powers, so I guess I'll just use my eyes to get them out of here. I stare at Sasuke with a you-need-to-leave-now look, and he looks back at me only when Sakura suddenly drops her pen and it rolls toward my feet.

The three of them look at me, actually. Hinata looks quickly away, trying to stay calm; Sakura smiles and asks me to pick the pen up for her; and Sasuke stares at me with a what-do-you-mean look.

"Here," I say as I give Sakura the pen, not taking my eyes off Sasuke. Sakura thanks me and continues doing her job as Hinata continues talking to her, but Sasuke still stares at me with confusion. I tilt my head towards the room's door twice and widen my eyes with alert.

A second later, Sasuke gets it. Thank God for his intelligence!

He turns to Sakura. "Uh, Sakura? Can you go with me outside?"

Sakura raises an eyebrow at him. "Um, why?"

"I, uh… want you to show me where the bathroom is."

"But I don't know where the bathroom is, either."

He fakes a smile and speaks through his teeth. "Yes, you know, honey. Just come with me, would you?"

Sakura stares at him for a moment, and then suddenly raises her eyebrows. "Oh," she finally says, blushing. She then leans forward and whispers, "Sasuke, c'mon, can't you wait till we're, you know, alone and not in a public place?"

I try hard not to snicker.

Sasuke just sighs helplessly and grabs her hand. "Let's go, Sakura," he says, standing up and pulling Sakura up with him. "We'll be right back, Hinata," he tells the confused-looking girl on the bed.

When the door closes behind the couple, I try to ease the tension between Hinata and me by commenting, "Well, that was weird."

Hinata smiles beautifully at me. "What do you think Sasuke wanted her for?"

I shrug and sit on the chair. "We will never know."

Hinata laughs briefly and then we stay quiet. I panic for a moment, trying to think of something right to say. C'mon, there must be something in my head for a moment like this! Okay, first of all, I need a start. Something cool and gentle like… like…

I finally thing of something: say her name. Yeah, I have to say her name first, and then continue with the whole speech. But just as I say the word, Hinata says my name too, and we end up speaking in unison. We stare at each other, confused, and then we burst out laughing.

"Sorry, sorry," Hinata says. "You first."

"No, you first," I reply.

"No, seriously; you first, please."

"You sure?" I ask, and she nods, still smiling. I sigh deeply and stare at her broken leg, trying to order my ideas and telling myself to be brave. Then I look back at her, trying to look and sound as honest and repented as I can. "Hinata… I know it was my entire fault, and I'm really sorry – really, really, _really_ sorry. If I hadn't chased after you, you would've paid attention when you crossed the street. Actually, I think that my first mistake was to try to, you know… kiss you. It was too soon, and it shocked you, and… and I'm very sorry. Please forgive me."

I close my eyes tightly, waiting for her response. _Please say you forgive me_, I think, hearing my own heart beating furiously in my chest. _Please say you don't hate me._

"Naruto…" she says, and I open my eyes and look at her fearfully. She looks pained, as if she doesn't want to say something she knows she has to say, and the first thing I think is, _Oh man, she's not going to forgive me ._But then she bursts out laughing, and I can't be more confused.

"Wha – what?" I ask.

"Oh God, you look so funny," she replies, "as if you're scared of me or something."

"I'm scared of what you're going to say," I correct, bowing my head.

But she smiles at me, and it's not the action but the way she's done it that makes me want to smile too. It's one of those kinds of smiles that you almost don't see anymore, those that make the eyes sparkle and the cheeks blush and the face seem brighter. Those that make people look really alive.

Hinata stretches her hand towards me and I take it and sit on the edge of the bed. "It's not your fault," she says. "It's no one's fault. It was just… bad luck. But… you know? I ran away because, yeah, I was too shocked. I couldn't believe that was happening. Have you any idea how much I dreamt about you trying to kiss me? I just got too nervous, and my first reaction was to run away. A very stupid reaction, actually, but I was thinking that maybe if I got away from you I could make sure that wasn't a dream – that what you said was really true."

I smile at her. "So it wasn't that you're disgusted of my kisses?"

She shakes her head and smiles.

"Then… is it okay if I try it again?" I ask, and she blushes and nods.

I lean forward and, this time, my lips do touch hers.

* * *

"Naruto, why are you on the bed? You're probably making Hinata uncomfortable!"

Hinata giggles. "It's all right, Sakura. I actually don't think I can be more comfortable."

I smile and bury my face in the crook of her neck. She smells like everything I've ever wanted. I kiss her skin and she giggles again.

"My God, get a room," Sasuke mumbles, rolling his eyes.

"Hey, I don't complain when you and Sakura are flirting with each other _right in front of me_, so leave us alone," I say, frowning at my best friend.

Sasuke rolls his eyes and Sakura laughs. I smile at them and suddenly think that I would've never thought we would end up like this: Sasuke with Sakura, and I with Hinata. I actually thought it was going to be the other way around or that we would just end up alone. But now I see that we actually had a happily ever after, just as if we were living in a fairy tale.

And maybe we are. Maybe we all are. Maybe we're just too pessimistic to realize it.

"Naruto, why did you draw a bowl of ramen on Hinata's plaster?" Sakura asks and she raises an eyebrow at Hinata's broken leg.

I move the arm I have around Hinata's shoulders, lean forward and point the drawing. "It's not just a bowl of ramen, it's a bowl of ramen being held by Hinata, you see?"

"And what's the meaning of your… _art_?" Sasuke asks.

"Well, they are the things I love the most: eating ramen and Hinata," I say cleverly.

Hinata smiles at me and I hug her again, while Sakura frowns at Sasuke and says, "You should do more romantic things like those," and Sasuke just smirks and kisses his girlfriend's cheek, making her smile.

I sigh happily, with my girlfriend by my side and my two best friends with me, and think this fairy tale of ours couldn't have ended up better.

* * *

_Holy shit, she smells like heaven. Been best friends since we were eleven and – oh, my God, I like her! Yeah, I heard you like her._

* * *

Notes: Just the epilogue, just one little epilogue more… and the first part ends! ): But don't worry, there'll be a second part, a _very _dramatic and exciting second part (yeah, I already know what it's going to be about, I'll give you a hint later), so don't worry, I'm not going anywhere. ;D


	16. Epilogue

_**Epilogue**_

* * *

Dear diary,

Today, it's been exactly one month since Sasuke and I started, you know, dating. I still don't know how to call it, 'cause, between you and me, he's my very first boyfriend, and I'm not used to this having-a-boyfriend issue.

Still, I can't express with words how happy I am.

I really couldn't have picked a better first boyfriend. I mean, at first he didn't feel the same about me, and he made me suffer a lot when I found out he wanted Hinata, my best friend, and not me. But then he opened his eyes and realized I am not who he thought I was, that I am the best girl for him. Then, only a class skipped to confess to me and a very sweet make-out session later – voilà! We lived happily ever after!

But we weren't the only couple with a happy ending, which makes me even happier. Naruto and Hinata have been together for almost a month, too. They look so happy and so perfect together. He smiles as if the sun has finally shone after a rainy week when he looks at her, and she looks as if she's hypnotized when she looks into his eyes. And they are so, freaking, _cheesy_! I swear to God, it's like I'm watching a comedy/romance movie when I'm with them.

But, really, I'm so happy I can't express it with words. We really did have a happy ending, even though that used to seem so impossible before. Everything got really bad; we all got out hearts broken, and we made really awful mistakes like, for example, my almost having you know what with Naruto, which is still a secret, by the way. I know it's not okay to keep that from Sasuke, because it meant anything and I was just heart-broken and not thinking straight, and - c'mon, Naruto is my best guy friend, nothing more, but I don't think it's a good idea to tell him that just now. It's been more than a month; if I tell him now, he'll be like, "Why didn't you tell me before? Why did you keep it for so long?" and _then _he's gonna get mad at Naruto and me.

Some secrets have to stay secret forever, and this is one of them.

I guess.

But anyways, now it is all alright. The four of us are happy, and everyone ended up with the person he/she was meant to. I can't believe it but

Sorry, I'll have to change the subject. I just got a phone call from someone, and I got news that is supposed to be good and make me even happier… but, somehow, they make me feel uneasy. I don't understand why. I mean, she's my best friend from childhood; we used to be inseparable, and I remember I cried a lot when she left. Her finally coming back, after all these years, should make me excited and glad and, I don't know… happy. But happiness is the last thing I feel right now. I feel more like… annoyed.

And I just realized why. It has to do with Sasuke, and with jealousy, and with an old rivalry. It's stupid, I know. We're not kids anymore. But…

God, I need to call Hinata. I need her advice. And her opinion. She'll definitely be able to help me. She always does.

Love,

Sakura.

* * *

Notes: Finally, the end. :) Sorry it took so long. But anyways, **thank you very much** for supporting my story. You didn't pay me or anything, but you really made me smile. :D

Remember this is the end... but only of the first part. I'm going to write a second part, the continuation of UHWTM. I already updated it, it's called _But Uneasy Souls Are The Lightest _(cool name, huh?), so check out my profile if you want to find out what happens after this epilogue and what other adventures our friends are going to have! (God, that sounded so lame.)

Anyways! Thank you for everything (OMG that sounded soooooo Sasuke-leaving-Konoha-and-knocking-Sakura-out! XD)

Keep being so freaking awesome. :3

_~tradegyneverends_


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